Jade
by Cpl.Hicks
Summary: Silver-haired with jade colored eyes, 'Jade' can't recall his past and lives in an orphanage with the children who'd been abandoned during Meteor's crisis. But when a blue-eyed mysterious delivery man appears in their sleepy town for a day, Jade is captivated and sets out across the debauched land to find him again. The journey is anything but short & sweet. Sephiroth/Cloud
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** OMG, what the fudge is wrong with me? I can't believe I'm writing _another_ story on top of my other one, 'Invictus'. :B But I guess this story couldn't leave me. I've wanted to write a FF7 story, post-Advent Children/Dirge of Cerebrus. I also wanted to tackle the challenge of writing Sephiroth/Cloud together in the future without having to resort to time-travel or a temporary-Sephiroth-vision to make it happen. The story here takes place after all the events we know have happened in the FF7. If the prologue is anything to go by, except lots of 'action' and character-driven stuff here. I'm keeping the premise of this story short and simple. :)

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**JADE**

**PROLOGUE**

Through an opened window, the eye of the moon peered brightly into a candle-lit chamber. Among the soft sounds of moans and wet suckles, a thick haze of incense and opium had settled across the large crimson room. Ivory-colored, transparent curtains that draped over a large king-sized bed lazily stirred back and forth against a cool nightly breeze. Through the veils was the silhouette of a long-haired man in his early twenties who sat at the edge of the bed. His silk robe hung loosely over his ghostly-white body and exposed much of his naked and flawless flesh. Brilliant locks of silver hair fell over the young man's face as he looked down. Hissing quietly through gritted teeth, he gripped a handful of wild platinum-blond hair below with slender fingers. Tiny, delicious sensations shot up the spine when the male that was on his knees and nestled between his legs bobbed his head continuously up and down. The oral administrations were kept at an even, uninterrupted pace. Each time the blonde raised his head he tightly swallowed the tip of the shaft. The wet smack-like sounds he produced with his hot, eager mouth prompted the other man to pull on his hair even tighter. While the incense-burners and opium smoke continued to emit favorable scents into the air, it was the musk of his lover's sweat that pleased the silver-haired male more and more. A deep throaty groan escaped his lips when the blonde clutched onto the rigid and sensitive flesh with both expert hands. His lover's sky-blue eyes, meanwhile, intensely stared up and never left his face.

Cloud. Beautiful and lovely, Cloud…

This was the Pleasure District, one of the few if not controversial locations in the city that received a large economic boom after the Meteor crisis. Many came to escape the hardships of the post-apocalyptic world. Here, any man worth his salt could reach heaven… for the right price. The mansion of the Madam was filled with affordable persons in all shapes, sizes, and races. The service fee on the young man with silver hair and jade-colored eyes, on the other hand, was an entirely different matter. Heavily guarded by guns-for-hire outside his chamber's door, the young man was kept secluded in the top floor of the five-storied mansion. A rare commodity, only serious buyers were allowed to see and maybe touch the exotic creature that once struck fear and desire in the hearts of many. The ill-actions and sins committed many years ago by his former self, as well as the lives he'd taken thus far, had not been forgotten or forgiven. There was no redemption for the crimes he committed. Even so, that did not stop the Madam from taking full advantage of the delicate situation and offering him shelter and anonymity in exchange for his body. She kept him in her brothel and put him under her protection. And prison.

For a moment, the silver-haired young man pretended he and his lover were far away from this dreadful place, living in their own private quarters with the intent to spend the rest of their lives together. He was glad the Madam was always too busy conducting her own private affairs to notice Cloud infiltrate their heavily guarded establishment every night. The guards, themselves, were too slow to keep up with his agile and soundless lover. Even if they did discover Cloud in their compound, they would likely endure an insufferable and shameful defeat at the hands of the skilled, dark-cloaked warrior. He was, after all, a former soldier of war that had been granted with the powers of the Lifestream itself. He had also served as the instrument to his Death.

For the silver-haired man, he found Cloud to be as troubled and lost as he was. It was no surprise, then, that he immediately desired him when he came to the orphanage many years ago. It was because of Cloud he was here, willing to exploit his body just to be near him. He had traveled many miles and endured many challenges just to be with him again. At any given time he could escape the brothel without a care in the world. But Cloud was here. He refused to leave him. Unfortunately, the man he lusted for all these years had hardly a penny on him and, according to the silver band on his right hand, Cloud was engaged. Still, that did not stop him from embracing him so passionately now. They were together and that was all that mattered.

The silver-haired man briefly shuddered when he felt his lower muscles abruptly tightened. Both of his legs quivered and he had trouble breathing properly. He arched his head back and flung silver hair out of his face. As he observed the dark marble ceiling above, the color in his eyes softly glowed green. Cloud must've known he was near his climax because his mouth and hands quickened in pace now. Several times, he drove the lengthy organ down the deep depths of his throat and gasped for air shortly after. Meanwhile, one of Cloud's hands roamed upward and followed the curvatures of his warm and hairless chest.

"I want to taste you now…" murmured the blue-eyed man below and gently trailed the entire length of his stiffened member with kisses.

The silver-haired man closed his eyes once the heat within his loins intensified. Quietly, he said, "My name… say it."

Cloud looked up at him, a bit confused.

He needed to hear it; he needed to hear Cloud say his name. It had to come from his lover's lips. Many times, a bitter voice inside his head had insisted he was nothing more than a fragment; an unwanted piece. He had called him a whore and stubbornly rejected to the union with Cloud. _Tiny_ _scraps of insignificant emotions and trivial memories have no name_, the deep voice once barked at him. Several times, he wondered if there was some truth to his words. But the woman in the pink dress… she suggested otherwise. She told him he was the true core, the light that shined beneath all the hate and fear. He was the real…

"My name…" the silver-haired man pressed again and shut his eyes as his entire body started to convulse.

Cloud swallowed the explosion of milky-white seed with his mouth. He gradually suckled again and again until there was nothing left. Afterward, in a low and soft voice he finally replied, "Sephiroth…"


	2. Orphanage

**Author's Note**: I decided to post the first chapter immediately after the prologue so that you guys can get an idea where this story is headed. I hate leaving such a short entry. Hopefully this chapter will get the ball rolling and explain a few things. ;)

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**CHAPTER 1: Orphanage**

_Jade_, that was what the adults in the orphanage called him. It was the color of his luminescent, cat-like eyes. As for his real name, well, it was a complete mystery along with the rest of him. Sitting alone at the edge of his unmade bed, the young boy quietly stared up at the bright blue sky through a large dirty window. It was mid-afternoon and a breeze entered through the tiny cracks of the glass. The rest of the children were outside, giggling loudly and playing hide-n-seek. Jade briefly smiled as he watched the fresh green trees outside sway gently back and forth while a few birds soared across his line of vision. Beyond the trees were enormous mountains. Already, Jade noticed the telltale signs of Fall. The air was cooler, the bright orange leaves scattered across the grass, and clumps of white had formed at the tips of the massive, rocky mountains. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too terrible of a winter this year in Nibelheim.

Jade paused when he noticed his face reflected on the large glass window. His hand slowly reached up to touch his cheek. He still didn't know his exact age. According to his reflection, he was somewhere in his teens. Fifteen? Sixteen, maybe? It was difficult to determine. His pale, flawless complexion was grimed with soot while his silvery hair had been cut short and uneven from yesterday's sloppy haircut. There was dirt beneath his fingernails and his ears needed to be properly washed. Meanwhile, Jade's oversized buttoned-blouse and baggy pants hung loosely over his frail and lithe form. They smelled at least two weeks old. Earlier today, the Headmistress of the Orphanage begged him to take a bath. One glance at the water-filled tub that she had prepared for him, however, and Jade screamed at the very top of his lungs until he passed out and was carried back to his bed.

Jade was deathly afraid of water.

While he couldn't recall much of his former life, there was one recurring memory that prompted the young boy to wake up in the middle of the night in cold sweat. Even now, Jade's stomach tightened at the memory. Surrounded by black water, Jade recalled being choked by another boy with similar-colored eyes. He had called himself _Kadaj_. The older boy's hands had wrapped around his tiny neck while he submerged him in water. Again and again, Kadaj's crazed eyes intensified as he manically laughed and squeezed the life out of him.

_Unwanted remnant. Weak. Pathetic. Soft. Insignificant._ Those were the peculiar words Kadaj had screamed to him while his hands worked their terrible magic. It was only until Jade choked underwater and stopped breathing entirely that the vicious jade-eyed boy finally moved away and disappeared, leaving him for dead. Jade was sure he'd died. He must have. He saw only darkness. His entire body was numb and cold. But then a female's voice had beckoned to him. It broke through the darkness and radiated his body with light.

"_Not now, sweet boy,_" a kind voice murmured to him and softly laughed, "_You're too precious to be lost in the darkness. You're the light he can never extinguish from himself; the passion he hid so deeply beneath his layers of misery and self-loathe. You carry within you his deepest secrets. It's time you go out there and rediscover your name._"

Jade thought he saw a brown-haired beautiful woman dressed in pink lift him up from the cold black waters and carry him to solid ground. She hummed a merry tune and told him everything was going to be all right. Most importantly, she urged him to never forget his inner light. Minutes later, an aged man spotted his naked, drenched body near the black pond and took him to Nibelheim for medical attention. That was five years ago. Jade never saw that woman again. To this day, he wasn't sure if she was a dream or a part of his actual memory.

His encounter with the violent young boy, Kadaj, on the other hand, _was_ real. While Jade didn't see him again he could feel Kadaj's aura all the same. It was true for the other two: Yazoo and Loz. Yes, those were their names. They all had jade-colored eyes and silvery hair like him. With that realization, though, came the inevitable question on whether they were his siblings. The youngest of them all, some part of Jade _wanted_ to know, at least to understand where he came from and who his parents were. Alas, his initial encounter with Kadaj was enough to keep him away. The entire near-death experience left him afraid to know the truth and suggested his mere existence was an abomination. In short: Jade did not belong. Thus, when he heard an unknown and very masculine voice order him to _rot away and die along with the rest of the pathetic dolts_, the young boy kept his distance from everything and everyone.

Granted, Jade had remained connected to his three brothers. Even with the harsh presence that mentally blocked him out from his siblings' thoughts, there was an invisible rope that tied them all together. It was only when their link was mysteriously severed three years ago that Jade intentionally attempted to reach out to Kadaj. As twisted and horrible as he and the others were, Jade was concerned for their safety. They were the only resemblance of a family he had known. However, when Jade mentally beckoned to Kadaj and the other two he heard only silence from their end. He realized then he was all alone; abandoned and left behind.

Softly sighing to himself, the young boy stood from his bed to get a closer look of the desolate town outside the Orphanage. This was his home now; his world. There wasn't much to see except for more trees and a few structures. Nibelheim was practically out in the middle of nowhere. From what Jade heard, there used to be several more homes, a mansion, and a water tower at the center of square. But that was before the chaos of Meteor five years ago. Today, there was only the Orphanage, which used to be an Inn. Next door was a mediocre grocery store in dire need of more supplies. There was no town community, only an abandoned home that had seen better days across the street. Jade stared at the one-story ruined structure directly ahead.

According to the children, a mass murderer with eyes that burned ice-blue had once lived there. Carrying a massive sword on his back, the twisted swordsman took the lives of many townspeople several years ago. Red, the popular child at the Orphanage, claimed he had a terrible taste for children's blood. Each day, the children at the Orphanage gathered and dared one another to stay at the abandoned, haunted home. So far, no one was brave enough to get past the entrance door. For himself, Jade was tempted to take up the challenge tonight. He'd been in the Orphanage for five years now and was one of the oldest children there, but still he remained isolated from everyone and everything. Rarely, the rest of the children talked or played with him. His strange jade-colored eyes and silvery hair terrified them all. Jade knew it had a lot to do with his three older brothers. Their actions at some distant, faraway city gave everyone alarm. Jade hoped to change all of that, though, and convince them all he was different and not the vicious demon they made him out to be.

Taking a soft exhale, the young boy returned to his bed and slumped there. Hopefully, his mission to go at the abandoned, haunted home tonight would earn him some points and finally break the ice with the rest of his roommates. With that in mind, Jade lay down on the bed and stared up at the cracked cement ceiling. He wished he had a book to read to pass the time, perhaps some tale of adventure. Or tragedy. Like Loveless. Wait… _Loveless?_ What was that?

Moments later, the door to the children's sleeping quarters creaked opened. A thin and very old woman appeared, hunched-like. Her face twisted into a frown when she found Jade lying on the bed. "Jade, you awright? You need to get up. I know you got freaked out earlier but it was for your own good, boy. You really need to take a bath."

Jade said nothing and stared at the ceiling.

The old Headmistress drew closer. With each slow step she took the wooden floor groaned under her weight. "Are you listening to a word I said, boy?"

"Yes, ma'am," he politely answered back without looking at her, "My apologies for not acknowledging your concerns."

"Then will you be a good boy and finally take a bath?" When Jade did not reply, she added, "If it helps, I will fill a little of the tub with water and help you wash."

At this, Jade slowly turned his head to her. His beautiful, cat-like eyes observed the woman in all of her detail. He knew this old woman would not let it go. When her compromise sounded reasonable and suitable for his needs, though, he finally gave it some serious thought.

Quietly, he remarked, "Your persistence is admirable, ma'am. You may fill a little of the tub. As for your assistance, that will not be necessary. I will bathe myself, thank you."

The Headmistress chuckled to herself. "I swear, boy, the way you talk… I forget you're a child sometimes. However, I will remain with you for your bath, to make sure nothing is wrong."

Jade made a face but did not reply to her comment. While he was annoyed by a lack of privacy, he did appreciate her concerns and understood her noble intentions. She was well aware of his fear of water and wanted to be there for him. Jade slowly rose from his bed and tossed his legs to the side. He stood on his bare feet and followed the elder Headmistress to the small bathroom at the end of a dark and narrow corridor.

Briefly, the young boy glanced at the old natural landscape oil paintings that hung loosely across the discolored and torn wallpaper. The air was heavy with dust particles while, above, a chandelier light was broken beyond repair. It was hard to believe this place was once an Inn. Often times, Jade wondered about its glory days as well as the type of people who previously rested here before the Meteor crisis. He imagined it was mostly writers and artists that had visited Nibelheim. It was the perfect sleepy town for creative minds and those who sought solitude and peace.

Jade set his thoughts aside once the Headmistress opened a wooden door that creaked loudly. With broken tiled floor and a barely workable toilet, the terrible conditions of the bathroom pretty much reflected the rest of the Orphanage. There was no shower overhead, only an old porcelain tub with rusted pipes. Both windows were broken. Thus, to keep the air out they had nailed them shut with large wooden panels. With the lack of electricity, only a few lit lanterns provided light to an otherwise dark and dreary place.

"Wait a moment, boy, while I prepare the tub," the old woman told him in her raspy but very soft voice.

She bent over the tub to place the cork inside before filling it with water. Moaning softly, the Headmistress winced at the back pain she immediately developed. Jade noticed and took a few quick and efficient strides forward until he stood next to her and gently guided her away.

"Please, ma'am, do not strain yourself. I will do this. You will stand there and activate the water for me instead, yes?"

The Headmistress smiled. "Such a kind boy you are, Jade."

The boy said nothing. Within a second, he placed the cork. Then he took several steps back. Preparing himself now, Jade shut his eyes and covered his ears with both hands to block out the sight and sound of rushing water. The Headmistress understood how even turning on the water faucet was still difficult for him, so she turned it on lightly to let the tub fill slowly and avoid too much noise. After a few minutes, the old woman switched it off and turned to Jade.

"Well? Is this good enough for you, boy?"

Lowering his hands from his ears and opening his eyes, Jade took a long and deep breath. After one step forward, he rose higher with his toes to take a quick peek of the water level in the tub. There were only a few inches of water there. Sucking on his lower lip, Jade considered if it was acceptable or not. A part of him wished the Headmistress drained a little more. Still, the woman had gone through some trouble making sure she accommodated his fears. Eventually, Jade bobbed his head once and stripped off his dirty clothes. With the old woman's help, he slowly climbed onto the tub. Jade had to close his eyes again when he lowered himself. His trembling hands clutched onto the woman, as if she were the only thing that could save him from ultimate despair. The Headmistress murmured many reassuring words to him until he, at last, settled down and sat inside a tub with just enough water to reach his hips.

The Headmistress grabbed a wooden stool, a bar of soap, and tin can nearby. Sitting on her seat, she carefully scooped up the water in the tub with the can and poured it over the boy's porcelain white skin. Once he was thoroughly wet, she grabbed the sponge and applied enough soap to make it foam white. As the old woman began to gently scrubbed away the grime and dirt from his skin, she smiled in admiration at how flawless it appeared. Meanwhile, Jade bent his knees up and rested his chin on them with a solemn expression on his face. Tensed by the sight of water, he tightly wrapped his long legs with both arms. He heard the faucet drip with one bead of water at a time and felt his heart pound against his chest.

"Oh my, boy, you have beautiful skin," the Headmistress commented and tried to put his mind at ease, "Be sure to wash your face and privates after I'm done, okay? Do you think you can handle that, boy? I want you smelling clean and like new."

"Yes, ma'am," the boy barely whispered back.

"I managed to reserve a spoonful of shampoo just for your pretty silver hair today. Oh yeeees, you are definitely in for a treat." The old woman laughed wholeheartedly.

The mention of shampoo prompted a small smile on Jade's face. Shampoo was a rare commodity here and he admittedly liked having his hair clean. With supplies running extremely low, though, Jade wondered if they could afford to waste it on him.

"But what of the supply shortage, ma'am?" inquired Jade seriously, his large green eyes intense. He did not blink. "Are we not keeping a close eye on our inventory? Mr. Coppers is not slated to travel to the city again so soon, is he, ma'am? I would not dream of him to venture out there in his poor heart condition right now."

At this, the old woman smiled and scrubbed his skin some more. "Oh, Jade, no need to worry over this. We will be fine."

Jade frowned; unconvinced. Slowly, he said, "Ma'am, I believe it is imperative you train us on certain life fundamentals, including on the use of proper transportation. We would be able to commute to the city and obtain essential supplies for our establishment. That would lighten your burden and prepare us for the world, yes?"

The Headmistress shook her head. "Now, don't get any wild ideas, boy. You will be staying away from those dreadful cities; they're too dangerous. There are many horrible people there who want to take advantage of boys your age, especially as beautiful as you are."

"_Take advantage?_" the boy asked curiously and raised his head from his knees, unsure of what she meant.

"Never mind."

Jade rested his chin again. He heard about the great cities beyond their quiet and isolated town. His crazed brothers had gone to them. From the brief visions he saw, they were vast and crowded places; filled with people and energy. Admittedly, Jade was both intrigued and frightened of them. They harbored shops and plenty of items. Each time Mr. Coppers returned from a trip there he brought with him new and wonderful items.

"Surely, ma'am, we would all benefit greatly if you acquainted us with the vehicle and city," Jade pressed again. "Mr. Coppers could rest and we would be able to obtain supplies faster upon your request."

"The city is a gloomy and dreadful place…" the old woman muttered back bitterly and scrubbed his skin a bit roughly. "The vast lands to the city are paved with gangs who will steal gas and other tradable items. I don't want to expose you to such horrors. Trust me, Jaden, everything will be all right. You have all that you need here in Nibelheim. Don't worry yourself with these kinds of things. At your age, boy, you should go out and play. Enjoy being a child. You only get one childhood."

Jade stared up at her for a moment. Then he bowed his head. Jade tried to mask the worried look on his face. Both Mr. and Mrs. Copper were pushing into their early seventies now. From his strange jade-colored eyes, he saw how faint their life's auras were. They had maybe ten years left. It was a depressing realization for Jade; one that kept him up at night. The loving and elderly couple had eagerly taken him in and nurtured him as a loving Mother and Father. The pair used their wits and strength to protect them all from starvation and the harmful monstrosities that plagued the lands. Unfortunately, with the exception of the grocery shop owner, who intended to move to the city soon, there was no one left in Nibelheim. No one would care for their little orphanage after their passing. While the rest of the children were oblivious to this great threat or simply didn't care, Jade wanted to do something about it while he had the chance.

The young boy sighed. He knew the overprotective elderly woman meant well. If he were any other boy, he would've returned to his naïve little world and pretend nothing was wrong. But this type of ignorance didn't help the future situation much.

"Where is Mr. Coppers, ma'am?" Jade politely asked. "I did not see him earlier."

"He went out to fetch dumbapples in the open field."

"_Alone?_" Jaden quickly asked. Immediately, he was worried for the old man's frail condition as well as any potential threats that hid within the trees. "What of the wolves out there, ma'am?"

"Oh, he'll be okay," the Headmistress reassured him. Her wrinkled face lit up when she added, "By the way, boy, he's getting the dumbapples because I plan to make some hot dumbapple pie tonight. Yum! Aren't you excited, Jade?"

"Hot dumbapple pie…" Jade slowly repeated.

Bath. Shampoo. And now hot dumbapple pie. Some major event was definitely afoot here. The Headmistress never hounded on him to take a bath like today. Nor did she bother with dessert due to limited ingredients and supplies. Surely, none of these gestures and actions was a coincidence. There had to be a valuable reason for all of this.

Curious, Jade asked, "Are we celebrating a special occasion, ma'am?"

The Headmistress started to rinse off the soap from his skin. "Nothing escapes you boy, does it? But you're right, today is a pretty special day. We are actually expecting company sometime today."

Jade blinked. "Company? _Here?_"

In all the years he had been here, no one ever visited their isolated town. The thick, overgrown trees practically made Nibelheim invisible to the outsider. Cold temperatures and wild wolves also kept the random passerby away. This definitely was a surprise.

"The grocery shop owner gave us a good contact number to get ahold of our supplies from the city," the Headmistress explained to Jade and began to apply shampoo on his hair. "It's great since it saves us a trip every month. We acquired this man's services just last week."

"Services?"

"Strife's Delivery Service," she elaborated.

Jade paused. _Strife_. For whatever reason that name struck a nerve with him. Yet, he didn't know why. The sensation eventually became a passing moment of déjà vu when the old woman massaged his scalp with the shampoo. Jade softly hummed and closed his eyes. The feel and smell of clean hair was always a pleasant sensation.

"Is this delivery man scheduled to arrive tonight?" Jade inquired shortly.

"Yes, boy. That is why I'm not too worried over our current shortage problem and why you children must be in your _best_ behavior. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am." He opened his eyes and looked up at her. "So I am to understand this man makes his living delivering packages and other essential items from one place to another?"

The Headmistress nodded and arched his head back. Carefully, she poured drops of water over his silver hair. She later smiled. "It's a smart idea, right, boy? In times like this, it's the perfect service to provide. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much the delivery man will charge us. There's not only the gas to consider, but the rate of hazard. There are some places in this world still dangerous, including Nibelheim."

"Because of the mako monsters…" Jade commented softly and thought of the strange place at the peak of Mt Nibel. That area was overrun with all sorts of creatures.

"Yes, those creatures are still out and about," the elder woman replied with a sigh, "That is why I never want you or the others to go beyond this home or stay out too late."

"This delivery man must be efficient and well-versed in combat to brave all questionable variables and dangers," Jade noted offhand and actually smiled. "He sounds rather interesting."

The Headmistress stared at him; baffled. "Well, I'm really happy you're pleased with this news. That certainly got you off your funk, boy. Perhaps you can make this man feel right at home here with that darling smile of yours. Again, I don't know what he'll charge for his service so I'm hoping we can win him over with a nice dinner."

"Very well, ma'am, I will assist you with the dinner preparations tonight as well," Jade offered with a firm nod.

"You can cut the potatoes for me, boy. You're actually really good at slicing."

Jade grinned brightly.


	3. The Silver Haired Man

_**Author's Note:** I'm trying to squeeze a chapter of this once a week. But I'll see how that goes since I got Invictus and a few other art projects coming up. Weeeh, no rest for the wicked. :P BTW, thanks to those reading this story. :) It's a lighter read and more to the point, I think._

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**CHAPTER 2: The Silver-Haired Man**

It was late in the afternoon and the sun was cast just slightly above the peak of a mountain. Jade stood outside the Orphanage with a worried look on his face. He'd completed the dinner prep work with the Headmistress half an hour ago in addition to fixing up the bedroom in case their guest decided to spend the night over. However, there was still no sign of Mr. Coppers. The Headmaster had yet to return from his rounds of apple-picking. While the rest of the children played their jolly games outside, Jade stood alongside a boy named Ramble. Ramble was similar in age and had an annoying habit of talking too much. Still, the overly energetic teenager was one of the very few who actually conversed with Jade. He was also bored enough to join Jade in fetching the Headmaster. Jade feared something had happened to the old man, especially when he was supposed to be back hours ago. At this time of the year the wolves were out in the prowl. Jade feared the worse.

"Let's go," Jade ordered and marched straight toward the forest area beyond the entry point of Nibelheim.

"Y-you think Mrs. Coppers will mind or get mad at us?" Ramble immediately asked. "We're not supposed to leave the Orphanage at this late of the day. I-I mean, we should tell her where we're going in case we get lost or attacked or something. You know what I mean?"

Jade knew the boy was afraid to venture out to the forest. It was a scary place for many of the children in the Orphanage; claimed to be haunted by the spirits of the dead. Still, that was where the Banora White trees had been planted and where the Headmaster was likely to be.

"You're correct," Jade finally replied to his companion without looking at him, "It's getting late, though, which is why we need to get to Mr. Coppers before we lose the light. If you don't want to join me then, fine, return home. But I intend to keep going and confirm if the Headmaster is in satisfactory condition."

Ramble quietly growled to himself and hurried his pace to keep up with Jade's long strides. As Jade traveled east of the Orphanage, he stared up at the big blue sky again. Blue. How he adored that color. He could never get enough of it. The best part was that it seemed to go on forever. The smile on Jade's face eventually disappeared when his eyes wandered to the great rocky mountain straight ahead: Mt Nibel.

Jade felt uneasy whenever he stared at the giant mountain. The Headmistress warned him to never go there on account of a ruined Mako Reactor at the top, which was apparently exposed to a radiation of some sort. While the kids attempted to climb the mountain as a double-dare from time to time, Jade always stayed away. Something about that place made his skin crawl.

"Hey, check it out!" Ramble yelled and pointed at the sky.

Jade glanced up. The silver-haired boy noticed a large flying airship soaring across the skies. It was massive and designed with a multiple set of wings. Several lovely birds trailed after it. Against the backdrop of a late afternoon sky, Jade was very taken by the sight and formed a tender smile across his face. Many times he wished to possess wings. He, too, wanted to fly high into the sky and feel the cool breeze against his face.

"Wow!" exclaimed the other teenager excitedly. "It's the WRO! I think that's one of their main ships, the Shera. I wonder where it's going. Maybe Edge?"

Jade blinked. "WRO?"

"World Regenesis Organization. Mr. Coppers told me alllll about 'em after he returned from his last supply run in the city. WRO are the ones fixing up the planet again. They got all these cool soldiers and space ships and kick-ass weapons. They used to take in children but not anymore. That totally sucks. I told the Headmistress that I'm gonna join 'em when I get older."

Smirking, Jade asked, "And what did she say to that?"

Ramble made a face. "She says I'm better off staying here." In a mocking voice, he added, "_The city is not a safe place for any self-respecting young man, boy._ Pft, whatever. What the hell does that old hag know anyway?"

"Yes, she told me something similarly not long ago."

"Yeah, well, I'm still leaving this shithole when I'm old enough. I'm gonna live in Edge and work for WRO. I hear that city has really come a long ways since the Meteor." Ramble stared at Jade. "And you? What do you plan to do when you get older?"

Jade shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I suppose I'd like to find my parents and know who I am and where I come from."

"Heh, you and the rest of the world's abandoned children."

Silent, Jade continued onward.

"So you really have no dreams?" pressed Ramble again, "No future goals, Jade?"

Thinking on that for a moment, Jade kept quiet. Quite honestly, questions like that never occurred to him. He assumed he'd spend the rest of his life in Nibelheim and look after the Orphanage once Mr. and Mrs. Coppers expired. But in terms of personal dreams? Aspirations? He had none. Jade inhaled deeply when that realization hit him. Admittedly, a part of him had always felt empty and void, as if some aspect of himself was either lost or forgotten. He wondered if he'd ever find his missing pieces again.

"It's difficult to have a dream when your entire world is a blank canvas," Jade at last answered. "I wouldn't know where to start."

"Start with one brushstroke at a time then," Ramble advised with a wink.

Jade looked at the other boy. He smiled.

Within an hour the two reached an opened grass field. Their eyes roamed the land as they searched for Mrs. Coppers' male counterpart. Already, Jade noticed lots of purple ripe apples lying across the ground. It was Mr. Coppers who decided to import and plant the peculiar apple trees here in Nibelheim. They hailed from a place called Banora. Quite honestly, importing them to their homeland was probably the best decision Mr. Coppers ever made. With cold conditions too extreme and everlasting, it was good that the apples ripened during odd seasons. That gave Mr. Coppers time to gather enough food supply to hold out before the harsh winters. Bending over now, Jade grabbed one dumbapple straight from the ground. He stared at it for a moment before taking a deep bite.

"_She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting_…" Jade said softly.

Nearby, Ramble blinked. "Huh? Where'd you hear _that_ from, Jade? Did you make that up? It sounds very pretty."

Jade paused. His eyes remained glued to the apple in his hand. He couldn't recall where those words came from, actually. Nor did he understand why he was filled with both sadness and warmth at the memory of the words.

"Jade?" Ramble started slowly, "Why are you… crying? Are you okay?"

It took Jade awhile to realize a single tear had formed on his right eye. Gently, he picked at it with a finger and observed it curiously. He could only assume this apple was related to his past. Of course, like so many memories that came and went for him, Jade was left with only more questions than any answers.

He sighed. "I'm fine. Let's look for the Headmaster, okay?"

There was a look of concern on Ramble's face as he stood still and continued to watch Jade. His hand briefly rose, as if he wanted to address another question. Eventually, though, he sighed and settled for an affirming nod instead. Resolved now, Jade took a deep bite of the apple and continued on their search for Mr. Coppers.

"_Mr. Coppers?_" Ramble wailed loudly. "Wheeeereeee aaaaaaare yoooooou?"

Out in the open field of dumbapple trees, Ramble's voice echoed across the land. Against a light breeze, the leaves of the trees rustled softly together. Jade advanced a few more steps and continued south. There was still no sign of the old man. Surely, Mr. Coppers didn't wander _too_ far away. Several wolves stalked the outer area of their town, which was why the Headmistress forbade anyone from going beyond the Orphanage's perimeter. Her husband already knew this. Nonetheless, the pit of Jade's stomach tightened the longer Ramble's yells went unanswered. Walking a bit faster, their eyes glanced left to right. Deeper and deeper into the pit of forest trees the two went until they found themselves in unknown territory half an hour later.

"Uh, Jade…?" muttered Ramble. His voice was quiet. "Do you know where we are?"

Jade didn't answer back. The tree-riddled area all looked the same, except the vines were getting thicker and more menacing the further they went. Jade had trouble relocating their entry point. His heart pounded and he clenched his fists tightly when he heard the sound of snapped twigs close by. He hoped it was merely his imagination or from some small animal, but his body was now on edge.

"Mr. Coppers?" Jade beckoned now, "Is that you? Please, sir, _respond_."

No reply. Something lurked out here beside them. He _felt_ it. Was this forest truly haunted by menacing spirits after all?

"Jade… I'm scared," Ramble told him in a low voice.

The silver-haired boy looked back at him. He offered a small smile. "It will be okay. I won't let anything happen to you."

"Th-thanks." Rambled weakly grinned back.

Jade took a deep swallow when he returned his attentions back to the situation. He searched for an item to defend themselves with. A good chunk of him felt guilty for taking Ramble with him on this trip. Hopefully, the presence out here with them was none other than Mr. Coppers himself. And yet, Jade didn't want to take any chances. He discovered a long and thick tree branch sticking out. Jade snapped it off and held it with his left hand as an improvised weapon. It wasn't much, but it would have to suffice.

Standing at full height now, Jade tried to figure out which path led back to the Orphanage. It was too dangerous to stay out here any longer, especially when they were quickly losing the light and Ramble was now extremely nervous. Looking up, Jade searched for Mt Nibel's position. If he could locate the giant mountain then he'd know the direction of their Orphanage. Jade was relieved to find it loom southward. According to the mountain's location, they needed to head north from their current direction to get back home.

"Let's go," he informed his companion. "Stay close to me."

Ramble quickly nodded and was only a few inches from him. The two teenagers started to make their way north. Within a few minutes, however, they heard the sound of a low moan. Alarmed, Rambled yelled and clutched onto Jade's arm.

"A ghost! It's got to be! Let's get the hell out of here! Please!"

When Jade heard the groan again, he recognized the sound and quickly made his way toward it despite Ramble's consistent protests. The silver-haired boy pushed through a batch of thick twigs and vines until he stopped. He saw a basket of dumbapples scattered across the ground and, a few feet away, the body of an old man. The elder's wrinkled forehead was moist with perspiration and he looked absolutely exhausted. Instantly running and kneeling beside him, Jade soon discovered the man's right ankle was twisted awkwardly. Groaning weakly, the elder Headmaster of the Orphanage noticed the two young boys and gasped. His eyes widened in both disbelief and horror.

"_What are you boys doing out here?_" the old man quickly demanded in a whisper.

"Mr. Coppers!" Ramble announced and joined them. "What happened to you?"

"It's not safe, son," he urgently declared to Jade, "There are wolves out here. I was in the middle of picking the apples until they caught whiff of me and chased me through the forest. I managed to lose them but I think they're still after me. Please, boys, you both need to leave. Forget about me. Just run!"

"We're not leaving you," Jade responded firmly and grasped his hand tightly into his.

The moment he spoke, he heard the sound of another twig snap a few feet away from them. It was followed by another. Jade realized the predators had located them and were now getting ready for an ambush. With Mr. Coppers' twisted ankle, he knew the old man needed assistance. That meant one of them had to stay behind and draw the wolves away. Needing to move fast, Jade placed Mr. Copper's arm over his shoulder and helped lift him up to his feet. The old man groaned painfully. Meanwhile, Jade promptly turned to Ramble.

"You head back to the Orphanage with the Headmaster," the silver-haired boy issued a command and passed the old man to him. "I will draw the predators away."

"Nonsense, boy," the elder man protested and shook his head, "You're coming with us!"

Jade ignored him. Instead, he suggested to Ramble, "Head north of the mountain. You should find your way back."

"But what about you?" Rambled practically yelled. "I-I can't just leave you here."

"I will be fine. Now please go. You've no time left."

Ramble stared at Jade for a moment. Then, reluctantly, he nodded. Even while the old man continuously begged Jade to come with them, the young silver-haired boy knew that was impossible. He needed to buy them time for their escape. The two headed off and within minutes Jade was completely alone. With only a thick branch in his left hand to defend himself, Jade stood his ground and closely observed his environment. There were trees and dark shadows everywhere. It was impossible to spot the threats that surrounded him. Beads of sweat formed over Jade's brows.

For a moment, he considered climbing up a tree to stay out of harm's way. He could wait there until the predators either gave up on him or help arrived. The second Jade took a step toward one of the trees, however, a ferocious and large beast instantly snarled. It leapt out from his blind side. Jade instinctively fell backwards to avoid the attack. As the wolf flew past him and landed on all four paws, Jade turned his head to see the creature. Gaia, it was terrifying. Its thick fur was black against black while the pair of beady eyes shined with crimson. Two other feral animals approached from behind, both of equal size.

Jade quickly gathered to his feet and stood with the tree branch held tightly in his left hand. He slowly reversed while the three wolves circled around him; their glassy red eyes reflected only primal hunger. Each of them was ready to pounce on their prey. Jade wanted to cry out for help but he grit his teeth tightly instead. This was the decision he made. If he died today then so be it. At least the others would be safe and he'd died with honor.

_If you want to be a hero you need to have dreams… and honor._

The three wolves drew closer to Jade's position and snarled. Their white fangs glistened hotly with saliva. Within a second, one of him jumped toward his face. Jade instantly drove the sharp tree branch upward in a critical moment and impaled its neck. The boy didn't have a second to ponder over his instinctive action. He quickly withdrew the branch from his assaulter and ducked at the second wolf's attack. Afterward, Jade screamed at the top of his lungs and lunged forward. With his branch, he struck the second wolf directly into his left eye. Jaden didn't have time to pull it out again for the third one that charged after him. As the feral beast soared toward him, the young boy caught it by its neck in mid-flight. Jade's eyes glowed bright green. Yelling loudly, he snapped the furred neck with his bare, small hands.

Whatever wolves remained in the area of the forest, now scurried away. With his excellent hearing senses, the boy could hear them whimper as they made their retreat. Hot in the face, Jade retrieved his tree branch from the dead beast. Shortly after, he fell to his knees and tried to collect his breath. His fresh clean clothes were now splattered with the blood of his enemies. Only now did Jade realize it was by his own hands that he killed three well-empowered predators. The hunted had truly become the hunter.

_'Impressive…'_

At the sound of a male's voice, Jade grew rigid. That voice… It had been so many years since he heard it but he recognized it nonetheless. It was the same deep, masculine voice that ordered him to rot away and die.

_'I did not anticipate you would be that strong, boy. Perhaps you are not as pathetic as you look. You may be of use to me after all.'_

Jade sensed a second presence in the deep forest with him. He clutched the tree branch tighter with his left hand and looked straight ahead. Tiny orbs of light appeared and there was a faint image of a tall and massive figure. Donning a black leather coat with silver armor, he was easily six-feet tall with long silvery hair that reached beyond his backside. His chest was bare, save for two straps that crossed each other. With skin the color of a pale moonlight, his jade-colored eyes bore into Jade's intensely. Surrounding the silver-haired man's body was a strange greenish aura. The tiny orbs of light swirled around him.

"Who are you?" Jade demanded; both terrified and amazed at the specter.

At this, the dark-cloaked figure sneered, _'Me? No, silly boy, the correct question should be: who are _**you?**'

The boy frowned. "I'm… Jade."

_'Jade? Don't be so absurd, boy. Tiny scraps of insignificant emotions and trivial memories have no name.'_

Rising to his feet, Jade quickly stood and pointed his bloody stick directly at the apparition. He announced in a loud and proud voice, "My name is Jade, of Nibelheim. I am alive and breathing in this world. Unlike _you_, phantom. Now, I demand you tell me who you are_._"

The tall figure laughed; his sound dominant and brilliant. He was obviously impressed by the boy's bold words. Quietly, he replied and bowed his head slightly at Jade, '_Indeed, you are me… and I am you._'

The tall silver-haired man took several steps forward. His beautifully long and silver hair swayed gently from one direction to another with each step he took. Admittedly, Jade admired this man's grace and flawless movement. He wanted to possess it for himself. Meanwhile, the dark-cloaked warrior raised his left hand and revealed a massively long and elegant-designed blade. He pointed it directly at Jade. For a moment, the teenager thought the phantom would strike him down with it. Instead, the sword glowed brightly, as did the tree branch in Jade's own hand. The light intensified to the point Jade shut his eyes. It was seconds later that he finally reopened them and frowned. The tree branch in his hand had disappeared. In its place was the long and magnificent sword. Surprisingly enough, the steel blade hardly weighed anything.

_'Masamune,'_ the mysterious male spirit informed, _'Up until now, only I have ever held her. She comes only to her master.'_

Jade remained quiet, unsure whether to reject or accept this gift.

_'She will protect you and come when you need her most…'_

It was only when the sword disappeared from his hand that Jade looked up and noticed the spirit dissipate into tiny orbs of light. Again, the boy asked, "Who are you? _Please_. I… I need to know."

_'My name…'_ the shadow began and devilishly smiled, _'Well, now, that is for you to find out, isn't it? Once you remember my name, you will remember yours.'_

Jade stared at the silver-haired man. A peculiar name briefly popped in his head. Jade opened his mouth and, with great strain, struggled to speak the strange word: "S… s-s-s…"

Jade growled to himself. The name… it was at the very tip of his tongue.

_'In time, boy, in time…' _the warrior phantom reassured him and softly laughed. The orbs of light grew brighter until the spirit eventually disappeared completely.

* * *

It took Jade roughly half an hour to return back to the Orphanage. The sun had set and the full moon was out. Already, he heard the crickets chirp and saw the light bugs take flight. Exhausted from the walk and encounter with the wild beasts, Jade slowly advanced toward the familiar structure straight ahead. The small conversation he had with the spirit still echoed inside his mind. After all of these years, he finally made contact with the invisible, powerful being that was apparently linked to his three brothers. It also knew his true name. Jade wondered if the silver-haired man could tell him what happened to Kadaj and the others; why he could no longer detect them. Perhaps this apparition could also reveal who his parents were and what happened to them. Of course, as much as Jade wanted to contact this phantom again and was positive they'd see each other in the near future he wasn't sure he could trust him. This was the same hostile entity that initially wanted him dead.

"Jade!" yelled Ramble from the front door of the Orphanage when he noticed him. The boy had been sitting outside, waiting for his return. He grinned. "Oh, thank Gaia you're still okay. I was so worried about you! But wow… your clothes…"

Jade had nearly forgotten about the splattered blood on his shirt and pants. Before he could mutter an explanation, the Headmistress and several other children stepped out. Briefly, everyone paused at his arrival. The orphans whispered amongst themselves while the old woman hurriedly wobbled toward the silver-haired boy. Without a warning, she gently slapped the side of his face with the palm of her hand.

"That's for running off and nearly getting yourself killed, boy," the Headmistress frantically spat. Her eyes were glossed with tears and her lower lip kept trembling. As quickly as she slapped him, she yanked Jade forward by his shirt and hugged his body tightly against hers. Crying, she later said, "And this is for returning home in one piece and getting my husband back to me, you foolish-beautiful-wonderful-Gaia-sent-boy."

Jade blinked, unable to respond properly. He merely stood still as the old woman held him in her arms. Then he gradually lowered his guard and smiled. His head settled on her shoulder and he allowed himself to enjoy this precious moment of humanly affections. It had been a long time since anyone hugged him.

"Mr. Coppers, ma'am?" Jade said softly after a while. "How is he?"

The Headmistress sniffed and wiped the tears from her face. "A lot better. Thanks to you. He twisted his ankle but he'll be fine."

"That is excellent news, ma'am."

The two shared another hug. Their moment was interrupted when one of the children beckoned out loud and pointed at the open desert terrain many miles east of Nibelheim.

"Look! Someone is coming!"

The Headmistress pulled away from Jade and glanced at the direction. Jade did the same. From where he stood, he saw a faint black dot with two beams of light amongst the landscape of dark grays. The rider left a trail of dust in his wake. Jade recognized it was a single rider vehicle, most likely a motorcycle. Based on the distance and high speed he was going, the rider was only twenty minutes away from Nibelheim.

"Oh, it's him," mumbled the Headmistress and hurriedly fixed her gray hair. As she wiped her cheeks from her tears, she announced to the children, "We… we should make sure everything is ready. Ramble, please help me set the table. Jade, dear… you might want to clean up that blood before our guest gets here."

The silver-haired teenager nodded in silence. As the other children entered the Orphanage, though, Jade stayed behind for a few minutes. His eyes stayed glued to the single bike rider many miles away. For whatever reason, his heart thumped twice its usual rate.


	4. Delivery Man

**Author's Note:** _An update on 'Jade' has been long overdue, lol. It's actually exciting writing a post-apocalyptic story that takes place after Advent Children/Dirge of Cerberus. I can't wait for the next chapter though, since I finally switch to Cloud (this story will be strictly between the perspectives of Jade and Cloud btw). I'll at last get to write Cloud in his bad-ass Advent-Children form and include the cast of FF7, something I've been very limited in my other story. As for 'Jade' himself... it's complicated. I can't say if this story will end happily or very dark. I can honestly see it going either way, if the 'voice' in his head gets his way._

* * *

**CHAPTER 3: Delivery Man**

There was much excitement in the Orphanage now that they were expecting company in a matter of minutes. It had been many months since a stranger passed by their area, especially one from the big city. In the kitchen, the Headmistress hurriedly checked on her stew with a large wooden spoon and ordered a few of the children to wipe the plates from the sink area. The Headmaster, now in crutches but in a merrier mood, tried to swipe a fresh biscuit from a basket until his wife slapped his hand and ordered him out of the damn kitchen. Meanwhile, back at the dining area Ramble and a small pig-tailed girl covered the large cherry-oak table with a simple ivory-laced cloth. The tiny female rolled her eyes while Ramble rambled on about his forest adventure this afternoon for the umpteenth time. Annoyed, she finally kicked him on the knee to make him shut up. As the sound of a motorbike grew louder, the rest of children giggled and excitedly ran to the windows of the Orphanage's reception area. Peeking through the large rose-patterned old curtains, they were eager to meet the stranger that came to visit their sleepy town and see what goodies he brought with him. Everyone was present downstairs and in a jovial mood. All except Jade.

Alone upstairs in the children's sleeping quarters, Jade growled irritatingly as he scavenged through the dress drawers to replace his shirt. There was no time to wash off the blood stains on it. Opening every single drawer within eyesight, Jade tossed out all the clothes in search of a shirt, _any_ shirt. He knew the Headmistress was seconds away from assembling everyone at the reception area. In his desperation, Jade left an awful mess. The entire sleeping quarters was covered with everyone's clothes. No doubt, he'd receive an earful from his roommates later tonight. Still, the silver-haired boy didn't care and was determined to fulfill his mission.

Meanwhile, at the back of Jade's mind played the strange encounter with the silver-haired man he met at the forest. Tall. Strong. Impressionable. Elegant. And downright brutal. Those were the words that immediately popped in the boy's head when he recollected the details of the spirit. Admittedly, Jade admired the man's exquisiteness and grace. As terrifying as it was to be in his presence, there was something very alluring about him. Jade decided to grow his hair as long as his. Somehow, it felt very appropriate. As for the sword given to him, it was currently nowhere to be seen. The spirit mentioned it would appear during his time of need. But… Perhaps the entire event was a dream? A delirious hallucination caused by the humidity of the forest and near-death experience with the wolves?

When Jade heard the sound of a motorcycle's engine purr loudly outside their orphanage, all thoughts ceased. He instantly froze in place.

"_All right, children_," Jade overheard the Headmistress announce downstairs. "_Gather at the reception area right this minute!_"

Within seconds, Jade heard loud squeals and the muffled noises of running below. Damn. It was already time. He temporarily abandoned his search for a shirt and quickly approached a half-opened window that overlooked the entire town of Nibelheim. He peered outside. Their delivery man was here at last, not far from the half-standing water tower.

Jade blinked when the lone rider turned off his bike's headlights. Dark outside, Jade couldn't get an adequate look of his face. Enshrouded in shadow, the lean and dark figure slowly dismounted his bike and stretched his legs for a few seconds. Then he stood straight and observed their little town. The stranger took his time, observing each of the demolished establishments. His attentions, though, wandered to the abandoned home where the alleged demonic swordsman lived. The dark-cloaked visitor stayed motionless for what seemed like an entire eternity, as if fixated with that place. Finally, he moved again. He turned around to face the orphanage. Jade's mouth partly opened when he noticed the eyes of this man.

A set of piercing-blue light emitted through the blackness of the night. Shimmering brilliantly, they flickered out each time the man blinked. Staring intently at them, Jade found himself completely lost and taken by them. Aside from his own jade-green eyes, the boy found no one else with a similar strange glow. Those intense ice-cobalt eyes… They reminded him of the bright blue sky he adored each afternoon.

As if sensing Jade's presence, the mysterious delivery man glanced up at his window. The boy quickly withdrew from sight and pressed his frail body against the wall. Jade was trembling. He didn't understand why. His body was warm and he had difficulty maintaining his balance. Hoping the man didn't see him, he dared not take another peek outside. Jade's heart pounded hard against his chest. For some reason, he felt both excited and troubled by this man's attendance.

"_Jade!_" he abruptly heard downstairs. It was the Headmistress. "_Hurry up, boy! We need you down here!_"

"Y-yes, ma'am," Jade croaked back when he found his voice again.

The teenager took a deep swallow and exhaled. Then he quickly went back to searching for a shirt replacement. He groaned in dismay. Either the shirts were too large or too small for him. This shouldn't have been that big of a deal. For some reason, though, Jade didn't want to embarrass himself in front of their new visitor by wearing something ridiculous. He wanted to look decent; elegant. Like that strange and pretty man in the forest.

Jade's sensitive ears soon heard the double-door entrance downstairs creak open. It was followed by the echo of big boots against wooden floor. The children below simultaneously cheered and clapped their hands together.

"_Welcome!_" the Headmistress's voice was heard above the ruckus.

Panicked now, Jade grabbed the first decent-sized blouse his eyes could find. Without bothering to take in its details, he snatched it up and raced out the door. As Jade sprinted down the stairs, he put on the blouse and tried not to trip.

"_Children, children_," urged the Headmistress in the reception area. "_Settle down, now_._ Settle down. Let's not scare our guest, please. Behave yourselves._"

The commotion lessened. Even the spurts of giggles had been kept to minimum. At ground level now, Jade managed to reach the location everyone had gathered in time for introductions. Trying to catch his breath, the silver-haired boy paused when he saw the entire assembly packed around the entrance. It was difficult to see the delivery man with everyone standing in his way. Even as Jade stood on his toes, some of the taller orphans up ahead blocked him. The silver-haired boy growled and decided to wait until he saw an opening.

"We're so happy to have you here," the elder woman spoke up front. "You must be tired from your trip, sir. We've got dinner already prepped and a bed for you to rest."

For a moment, there was only silence. It dragged on for what seemed like an eternity. Jade immediately wondered if the man had already responded with a voice too low for him to hear or chose not to vocally reply back. But then… a low and soft sound emerged in the room. It rang through the silence like a pleasant melody.

"Thank you, ma'am, but that won't be necessary. I need to be on my way."

Jade heard the thump of his heart pound once. This man's voice… For a moment, Jade couldn't understand why his body reacted so strongly to it. The voice sounded familiar, like from a dream. Each word echoed directly into his ears, only to be replayed in his mind again and again and again. There was something about this man's voice…

"Oh, nonsense," replied the Headmistress with a chuckle. "Ya look exhausted and it's dark and dangerous outside."

"Don't worry about me. I really appreciate the offer, but…"

"Well, at least have dinner with us. Please?"

A few of the children moved to get a closer look at the stranger. That allowed a small gap in the crowd. At the far back of the large group, Jade took a step forward and peered over the shoulder of one of his roommates. He managed to catch a glimpse of the visitor. His green, cat-like eyes glowed brighter at the sight of him.

Standing next to the Headmistress was a lean-figured man with wild, platinum-blond hair and intense sky-blue eyes. He had a distinguishable face with gentle curves. Void of blemishes, his milk-white complexion was beautiful, haunting, and flawless. Jade thought the man's attire was strange yet very flattering. He liked the way it curved around his petite shape in some parts while it hung loosely in others. Donning dark clothes, one arm was completely bare and revealed a perfectly toned arm; the other was draped by a long and slack sleeve. The visitor wore a ribbed top that was currently zipped halfway up and exposed his elongated neck. Meanwhile, a black attachable armor plate sat on one shoulder. A metal emblem of the Fenrir shined brightly there. Throughout the entire outfit there were loose belts that clung to long pieces of black fabric, including to a very large sword holster on his back. Jade could only catch brief glances of the metal weapon from where he stood. It looked rather massive.

Wearing leather gloves and thick leather boots, the teenager could see the heavy years of combat on this man. His sapphire eyes, while magnificent and unique, revealed a long tale of pain, heartache, and perseverance. The more Jade stared at this man the more his skin grew warm. As the stranger shifted his slender hips to one side and stood so casually with one gloved hand on a hip, Jade watched him more intensely. He had never seen a male creature like this before. He was so masculine, so reserved, so… _torn_.

Meanwhile, up ahead the Headmistress still persisted. "Please, sir, stay. The children went through a lot of trouble making the dinner and would like it very much if you joined us tonight. Am I right, children?"

The entire pack enthusiastically replied with cheers and pleads. The blond-haired man ran a gloved hair through his spiked hair. He smiled.

_His smile_… Jade couldn't help but feel the corners of his own lips tug upward a bit. The man's smile was the most adoring feature on his face; genuine but also timid. Jade took another step forward, tempted to get closer to this quiet creature from the big city. The teenager halted, however, when one of the girls noticed him and frowned.

"Hey! That's my shirt you're wearing!" the girl pointed straight at him.

Jade froze and glanced down.

Good god, the girl was right. The ivory lace-buttoned blouse hung over his lithe torso rather nicely that he didn't bother to investigate it. It actually looked a lot better than the oversized men's shirts he was forced to wear. If not for the girl pointing out the truth, the blouse could've been mistaken as a unisex. Still, that did not stop the flush of color from overwhelming Jade's cheeks right now. Many of the children turned to investigate the girl's constant yelling and pointing. Once they discovered what had happened they started to laugh at the situation.

"Jade's wearing girl's clothes!" one of them squealed.

"I knew he liked dressing like a girl since he looks like one!" followed another.

"Jade! You idiot!"

The rest of the pack laughed. At the center of unwanted attention, Jade took a step back. He heard the Headmistress command them to behave themselves and to stop. Chewing on his lower lip, Jade could only stare in horror as the room seemed to spin around him with snot-nosed brats laughing and laughing. He felt his blood boil. When Jade's cat-like eyes caught sight of the blond-haired man up ahead, he discovered the man stared right at him. Embarrassed by the entire event, Jade broke away from eye contact. Shaking his head, he immediately retreated up the stairs and headed for the sleeping quarters.

* * *

His entire body covered in a sheet, Jade stayed in his bed for half an hour with a growling stomach and an annoying feeling of defeat. Bare-chested, he had taken off the controversial blouse and returned it to its rightful place along with the other clothes he had previously removed from the drawers. Briefly, Jade replayed the pathetic display downstairs and automatically frowned. The sounds of their wicked laughter reminded him so much of Kadaj. Unwanted flashbacks of his twisted brother choking him underwater and snickering loudly emerged from Jade's mind. Squeezing his eyes tightly, he saw Kadaj's horrible face on each of the children who had laughed at him. Jade's entire body curled up into a ball. He wished he had done something differently; told them all to stop.

_…Or slice off their tender heads while they sleep tonight and set the entire place on fire. Yes, that would be adequate punishment for their insolence? Don't you think? _

Jade felt his stomach tightened. Moments later, he heard the sound of footsteps outside the door. He could tell by just the noise of the shuffle that it was the Headmistress and suspected she came to check up on him. Within seconds, he saw her lanky shadow underneath the doorframe. It was followed by a gentle knock. Jade covered his face with a pillow. He dared not show his face to anyone right now. He felt pathetic, weak, and halfway wished the bed he laid on sucked him into the netherworld, to some place far away from here. Unfortunately, Jade remained there in the sleeping quarters with only his bitter emotions to keep him company. Oh, how misery did enjoy such wretched company.

"Jade, boy," the old woman said softly as she slowly opened the door. The light from the hallway showered parts of the dark, vast space of the Sleeping Quarters. "Is everything fine?"

Jade didn't move. He was a bit offended by the question and, thus, chose not to answer her back. Of course everything was not _fine_. What a ridiculous question to ask, he thought sulkily. Irritated, Jade rolled to his side with the pillow still on his face, lying away from the direction of the Headmistress. He heard the door close and welcomed the possibility that she was gone. However, once Jade heard a shuffle sound followed by the wooden floor creak he knew the old woman was still here. He sighed and wanted to be angry. Yet, some part of him was grateful she did not abandon him after all. Moments later, the bed shifted and he could feel her weight press down on the mattress behind him. A hand gently rested on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Jade," she apologized quietly, "What those children did was _horrible_. I gave each of those rotten brats a good talkin' to. They'll all be responsible for clean-up duty tonight on top of the other chores I have planned for them tomorrow. They're all sorry now."

Jade stayed silent. He sincerely doubted any of them were _sorry_. Besides, while the old woman meant well, their punishment meant _his_ misery. They'd definitely retaliate against him once the old woman wasn't around.

"C'mon, now, boy," the Headmistress started again and patted him on the shoulder, "Get out from under the sheets. I got dessert ready downstairs. And I know you're hungry. It'd be great if you came down and joined us."

The silver-haired boy didn't move.

"Please, Jade?" begged the old woman and sighed quietly. In a lower voice, she revealed, "We still haven't gotten 'round the whole payment arrangement with our visitor. I… I need your help. You're the only mature boy that can handle things like that. Help me out, 'kay?"

News of their visitor prompted Jade to slowly remove the pillow from his face. He slightly turned his head back and glanced at the Headmistress over his shoulder. "He's… still here?"

"Mr. Strife?" she asked and nodded. "Yeah. The delivery man is still here."

"Mr. Strife?" Jade repeated and frowned. That name…

"Yep. Strife's Delivery Service, remember?"

Inwardly, Jade felt stupid. He should've guessed the name of their guest. _Strife_… That was such a very dominant-sounding name, wasn't it? Curious, Jade wondered what the man's first name was.

_Silly boy. Think of the heavens above your head and you will find your answer there._

"Mr. Strife is with everyone at the table," the headmistress said shortly, "Ramble is currently entertaining him with that time Mr. Coppers got stuck in the toilet seat."

A small chuckle escaped Jade's throat. He knew any narrative from Ramble's mouth took at least an hour to tell since the boy went too much into the specifics. Still, Ramble had such a lively and energetic personality that no one seemed to mind. In many ways, Jade envied him.

With a sigh, the silver-haired boy turned his head away from the elder woman again. He honestly wasn't in the mood to see anyone right now. He'd rather stay in this dark room with his dreary thoughts. The idea he might not see the delivery man again after this night, though, crossed his mind. Already, Mr. Strife indicated his intention to depart. Even if Jade made a complete fool of himself in front of this man, he was determined to see him one more time.

A bit hesitant, Jade forced himself to uncover his body and sit up. He tried to conceal his feelings of hurt and anger by not making eye contact. Still, the remorseful look on the elder woman's face indicated how well aware she was of his current condition. She leaned forward and hugged him.

"Thank you, boy," the Headmistress told him. "I know it's been tough, with the way the others have treated you. I promise: things will get better."

Jade didn't reply back.

"You aren't like the others, you know, boy," she suddenly revealed out of the blue. She broke away from their embrace to look at him. "You're special, Jade. I knew that from the day my husband brought you home. There's just something about your eyes."

"Do they terrify you?" Jade asked point-blank.

"No…" she answered back softly. "They just… look very sad."

Jade turned away, as if she'd seen too much of him.

"Let's get going," the Headmistress suggested and changed the subject.

"Yes, ma'am." Jade nodded. "I will do my best to accommodate Mr. Strife's needs."

The old woman chuckled and gently touched his cheek. "You're such a sweet boy."

Jade didn't speak another word. He got off the bed and settled for the shirt he used to sleep as his replacement. It was a bit wrinkled from use but it had to do. Afterward, he followed the old woman out of the Sleeping Quarters. Together, they traveled through the hallway and down the stairs. Jade kept one step behind the Headmistress in case any of the children started business with him. At least he could retreat upstairs again.

It didn't take too long to arrive at the dining table. As the Headmistress indicated earlier, everyone was situated at the dining table while Ramble stood front and center. He currently reenacted the embarrassing scene when Mr. Coppers had realized the toilet seat was stuck to his behind. Everyone was too busy laughing to notice the two new arrivals at the entrance. The old woman temporarily bowed down and whispered into Jade's ear to take a seat. She left shortly afterward to fetch a plate for him as well as help with dessert distribution.

Jade spotted an empty chair at the very end of the long diner table. Thankfully everyone was glued to Ramble's performance up ahead that no one noticed him. Feeling a bit anxious, the young boy tried to catch a glimpse of the delivery man. He discovered him many seats away on the other side of the table. Mr. Strife silently observed tonight's entertainment. While he didn't laugh like the rest, there was a tender smile present on his face. It stretched just a little each time Ramble announced something absurd. Jade would've been more than content to simply watch this man the entire evening. However, the boy looked away when the blond-haired stranger apparently sensed he was being watched. He shifted his eyes to Jade's direction.

The delivery man's gaze had the power of a thousand sharp knives. Jade swallowed hard and felt his cheeks flush with heat. Even as the boy stared at the empty table space in front of him, he knew Mr. Strife was still watching him. Jade felt completely naked. He halfway feared Mr. Strife's strange eyes granted him the ability to see the quirky thoughts and bodily reactions he inspired on him right now.

"Here you are, Jade," abruptly said the Headmistress, who now emerged beside him.

The young boy slightly flinched back, surprised by her sudden appearance. The old woman cocked a brow at him quizzically but placed a plate of food in front of him. She gave him a wink and pat on the back.

Hunger instantly struck the boy the moment he inhaled the aromatic smells of her famous hot stew. It was one of his personal favorite dishes. Taking the first bite, Jade didn't realize exactly how hungry he was until he practically stuffed his face with a biscuit and spoonful of rice simultaneously. Eating seemed like an excellent distraction from the blue eyes that studied him from across the table. The Headmistress, meanwhile, walked away and joined Ramble up front. She clapped her hands together for his oddball presentation.

"Aw, thanks Ramble for enlightening us with that story," she commended the boy, "Mr. Coppers definitely had a good laugh. Right, hubby?"

The old man executed a bitter smile. Then he mumbled underneath his breath, "_Humph, I didn't scream like a girl when that happened… Creative interpretation, my ass…_"

"All right, so let's enjoy some dessert now," the Headmistress announced to everyone.

The children cheered when a few kids appeared from the kitchen and carried trays of hot dumbapple pie. The Headmistress made sure to secure the best slice for their guest and serve him first. Afterward, the trays were passed along the table. Jade took his piece and set it aside for the moment since he was still going through his dinner plate. Roughly five minutes later, the Headmistress stood from her seat across Mr. Strife's.

"Okay, everyone calm down," the old woman instructed above the non-stop chatter and tapped her glass of water with a fork. "Let's be quiet for a moment. I want to thank our wonderful guest for joining us this evening."

Briefly watching him again, Jade quickly discovered how Mr. Strife didn't enjoy being the center of attention. The delivery man remained seated and now shifted his gaze downward. Silent, he avoided eye-contract with the Headmistress while she resumed her speech. The overly enthusiastic old woman, of course, was completely oblivious to this.

"I hope you enjoyed today's feast, Mr. Strife," Mrs. Coppers praised as she stood and looked at him with a large smile across her face, "And we are so thrilled you made the long journey to our town. It's not much but we make do with what we got. Because of you, these children will have a lot to smile about. I hope we can continue using your services next month."

For a moment, Mr. Strife glanced up at her and nodded his head once. Then he returned to staring at the slice of pie in front of him.

"All right, dig in everybody," the old man concluded with a lighthearted laugh.

It didn't take long until the dining area filled with constant talk and giggles again. Jade was relieved no one spoke about the shirt mishap from earlier. In fact, no one talked to him _period_. That was just fine and dandy with him. He actually enjoyed eating his meal in peace. However, now that Mr. Strife was here Jade did entertain himself by stealing a few glances of him every now and then. For the most part, the delivery man kept to himself throughout dessert and merely listened while the Headmistress' offered _more_ words of gratitude. Jade took those moments to study his face more. So long as Mr. Strife kept his attention on the old woman, Jade didn't have to fear his cobalt eyes looking back at him.

From his observations, Jade personally enjoyed the delicate long strand of hair that dangled right alongside Mr. Strife's right cheek as well as the one that shot straight up from his head. The wild points of his golden hair certainly struck in the most oddest of places; almost at random. Amused by this, Jade instantly thought of the wild chocobos that roamed the lands during spring time. He smiled to himself and studied Mr. Strife's face some more. Jade could tell the delivery man was still tense. Mr. Strife hadn't spoken a word even while the Headmistress continuously commended him. It was only when the subject of dessert came up that the man finally muttered a few carefully chosen words.

"How do you like the pie, Mr. Strife?" the Headmistress asked.

Mr. Strife finished the last bite on his plate and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Thank you. It was delicious."

"It's dumbapple pie."

"Dumbapple pie?" repeated the delivery man and sounded surprised.

"Yes."

"That would explain why the flavor is distinct. I've had dumbapples before. But… aren't dumbapples from Banora?"

"Originally."

"How did you import them?"

"We didn't," the Headmistress revealed proudly. "We actually grew them here."

At this, Mr. Strife raised a brow. "Wait… You mean there are Banora trees _here_?"

"Yep."

Mr. Strife frowned. "How? Banora trees aren't from this region. They can't tolerate the extreme cold temperatures. Dumbapples can only grow in Banora."

"We managed to bring a few of the trees and raise them in our forest," the old woman answered. Then she sighed and later confessed, "Now, I'll admit, the first batch immediately died. But then a few survived and held well against the cold. I guess the trees adapted to the soil and weather here because, after that first generation, they've doubled their numbers and have thrived ever since. And like their ancestors, they blossom in the oddest of times."

"Interesting…" the delivery man only said and stared at the crumbs on his dish.

"The Meteorfall years ago ruined much of the land," continued the old woman softly and drank from her glass of water. "These trees… I can only guess they forced themselves to change and adapt in order to survive. Kinda like all of us here in Gaia, huh, Mr. Strife?"

He kept silent.

"You seem to know the terrain around here very well," noted the Headmistress. "Have you been here before?"

"I've passed by here, yeah…" Mr. Strife replied slowly. His voice carried off very low.

"Oh? That would certainly explain how ya arrived here in one piece. The landscape in Nibelheim can be rough, even on vehicle. When were ya here?"

"A long time ago…" Mr. Strife vaguely murmured back.

"Before Meteorfall? Or after?"

"Those Banora trees…" the delivery man started and switched the subject, "Where did you plant them?"

"North of here, in the forest. We got _lots_ of them. I'd take you to them now, but it's too dark and there are hungry wolves out in the prowl. In fact, my poor husband was nearly killed today when he collected the apples this afternoon."

Sitting nearby and overhearing the conversation, Ramble bobbed his head excitedly and added in his two cents. "Oooh, yes, Mr. Strife! Let me tell you, those wolves were naaaasty! There were three of them. Big _huuuuuge_ ones. They had beady scary eyes, sharps claws, and eeeeeverything! I was so scared for my life, oh-my-god, I can't tell you how much I…"

"How did you survive, kid?" Mr. Strife politely interrupted.

"Jade!" Ramble suddenly yelled.

From his seat, Jade quickly looked away from the scene when all attentions turned to him. Too nervous to see the man with blue eyes, he focused on his slice of pie.

"Jade could tell you!" Ramble continued loudly, "_Right Jade?_ Hey! I'm talking to you, lug-nuts. Jade? _Jade?_ Er, you deaf?"

Already, the silver-haired boy's cheeks flushed red and he developed a headache from Ramble's constant yelling.

"Uh, whatever, I think he's sick or something, Mr. Strife," Ramble dismissed. He resumed his narration. "Anyway, Jade was there. He told me to take Mr. Coppers back because he had sprung his ankle. He was pretty heavy because Mr. Coppers is so damn fat, but yeah, whatever. Oh-sorry-I-didn't-mean-to-curse. Anyway, like a hero, Jade stayed behind. He was armed with only a stick. He used it to take out all three of the wolves by himself. Can you believe that, Mr. Strife? _A tree branch!_"

Mr. Strife went quiet again.

"It's true," confirmed Mr. Coppers shortly to their guest. "All of it is true. If not for that young man, not only would I be dead, but we wouldn't be having this nice yummy dumbapple pie. We owe our thanks to that boy."

"Yes, Jade is a very good boy and minds his manners and everything," complimented the Headmistress next. In a louder voice, she beckoned, "Jade, son? Don't you have anything to say to Mr. Strife? I think he'd like very much to hear 'bout your adventure today."

His head down, the teenager didn't dare to look up at the delivery man who'd now gone dead silent. A sudden nauseous feeling developed in his stomach. Jade knew the Headmistress wanted him to talk and entertain their guest, especially when he promised to accommodate Mr. Strife's needs. And yet, at this very moment Jade couldn't work his mouth properly. Already, he felt the weight of the man's stare on him and those weird feelings of warmth and unsteadiness had overcome him again. Jade couldn't understand why he had so much trouble keeping himself together in front of this man's presence.

"Jade, honey?" pressed the old woman again. "Are you okay?"

With a blossomed red face, Jade nodded. "Y-yes, ma'am. I am fine. Thank you."

"Are you sick, boy? You don't sound too good."

"I a-assure you that I am fine, ma'am. Thank you." The boy took a deep breath.

The Headmistress must've noticed his distress because she eventually changed the subject. "So, Mr. Strife, did you bring all of the supplies I requested?"

The delivery man didn't instantly reply back to her. His eyes stayed on Jade for a while until he finally looked at her. "All items are accounted for. I set all of your packages at the reception area. You should be good to go."

The Headmistress blinked. "Wait, _all_ of those packages are ours?"

"Yeah."

"But…"

"I took the liberty of adding in a few items," Mr. Strife informed as-matter-of-fact. "When you mentioned to me about this orphanage and who the supplies were for, well, I figured toys and comics would be nice to include on the list."

"_Toys and comics?_" beamed one child sitting near the delivery man.

"Wow!" another exclaimed.

At the mention of toys and comics, many children at the dining table instantly abandoned their plates and ran to the reception area. Mr. Coppers barked at them to behave themselves. With his hand crutches, the old man stood and wobbled after them. Despite his no-nonsense tone, he obviously appeared as eager and giddy as the children were. Meanwhile, the Headmistress smiled at the pleasant news.

"Thank you, Mr. Strife," she expressed sincerely. "I appreciate this or, rather, the children do. But well… I'm not sure if we can afford…"

"I'm well aware that funds are tight," the blond-haired man told her. Then with a slight smug on his face, he added, "And I know this dinner was intended to act as my compensation."

The old woman sheepishly grinned back. "I'm sorry, Mr. Strife. I… well…"

"It's okay," he reassured her. "I know how difficult things can be, Mrs. Coppers. I run my own orphanage back at home. I can relate."

Upon hearing this news, Jade immediately looked up at Mr. Strife from his seat. His own orphanage? Mr. Strife had taken abandoned children in too? A part of Jade wondered if there was room for one more. To imagine being in the constant presence of this man… Surely, the orphanage there would be nicer and he'd actually make friends. And he'd be in the big city, surrounded by new attractions and excitement. Of course, Jade did feel an ounce of guilt from this fantasy. He knew the Headmistress and her husband were still struggling to make ends meet here. He didn't want to betray his loyalty to them, especially when they were the ones who had taken him in. Still…

"I can spare some Gil for the gas," the old woman quickly offered.

"No. I got enough."

"Are you sure? I mean…"

"I'm fine, really. However…"

"Yes?"

The delivery man tilted his head to the side and asked, "Are you up for a trade?"

"Of course! Tell me what you want and it's yours, Mr. Strife."

Mr. Strife nodded at his empty plate. "Those dumbapples… I'd like to take a batch."

The old woman laughed. "Ah, so you liked them?"

"I haven't had dumbapples in a _very_ long time." Mr. Strife paused and appeared deep in thought. The mysterious light in his blue eyes intensified. However, the event passed quickly and he said, "They're extremely rare so it'd be great if the kids back home could try them."

"Good thing you have us as a supplier, huh?" The Headmistress winked.

"Yeah." Mr. Strife leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table as he presented his proposition. "Listen, I'm willing to come out here at the end of every month for a supply run. In exchange, I'll take a batch or two of the dumbapples."

"That sounds like a good trade to me."

The specifics of the trade made Jade smile. Mr. Strife would visit here at end of every month? That meant… he could see him again. Suddenly, the end of the month had become a very important date for the silver-haired boy.

"I've gotta check on the kids and make sure they haven't turned the reception area upside-down," the Headmistress asserted. "Again, I want to thank you. For everything. Are you sure you don't want to stay the night, Mr. Strife?"

"It's okay. I've got another delivery run to make. It's not far from here so I'll be fine."

Finishing up his slice of pie, Jade remained seated while the Headmistress and Mr. Strife stood from their seats. They headed toward the doorway. Everyone else had already congregated at the reception area to unpack all of the boxes. If the loud ruckus indicated anything, the reception was a huge mess and full of children screaming excitedly at the goods. Even if he tried to nab one of the items for himself, Jade was sure all of the nice gifts had been taken by now. Rather than get involved in that risky business, he chose to stay behind and collect all of the abandoned dishware on the table.

"Jade," the old woman scolded him as she reached the door. "Leave that alone. Mr. Strife will be leaving shortly so join us before he heads out."

"It is okay, ma'am," Jade replied and collected another plate in his arms. He kept his head down in an attempt to avoid eye-contact with the man next to her. "Please attend to the other children's needs. I'll place the dishes in their proper places."

The Headmistress sighed. "All right, boy… if you say so."

Jade continued to grab all the dishware on the table. He heard the sound of their footsteps leave the room a few seconds later.

Once the door to the next room opened and closed, Jade exhaled loudly. He mentally kicked himself for his inability to talk to the mysterious blue-eyed man. Admittedly, it was difficult for him to create coherent thoughts in his head, let alone, form an intelligent sentence out loud in front of Mr. Strife. Again, Jade couldn't understand where this anxiety and exhilaration came from. Was it because he hadn't seen a person from the big city before? Did the delivery man's mere physical appearance overwhelm his senses? There was something about Mr. Strife that undid every piece of logic in Jade's mind. The man had stirred a wide range of unchartered emotions within himself. Perplexed by this, Jade entered the kitchen and placed all the dishes in the sink. He busied himself by washing each one. Afterward, he wandered outside through the backdoor for some fresh air.

The air outside was cool and the stars were in full force tonight. Jade observed the remnants of what used to be the town's water tower. Half destroyed, the well itself was gone and only parts of the wooden platform remained. The ladder, itself, was broken up in a few places. Still, Jade made his way up to the platform with ease. He sat on the wooden flooring with his knees bent and pushed his back against a metal pillar that stuck out. Silent, Jade stared up at the starry night sky above his head. It was times like this, when he was in the presence of such mystifying and universal beauty, that Jade felt at peace. Of course, questions of his very existence often occupied his mind whenever he was in a state of contentment. This time was no different.

As always, Jade wondered about his parents and the place he had come from. He'd like to believe he came from some warm and sunny place. He'd like to believe he had lived a fortunate life with people who cared about him. Surely, his parents loved him, his mother especially. But the nightmares... In his dreams, he saw no light or felt the warmth of the sun. Rather, he saw only the weary faces of hundreds of people with hollowed eyes that bled black. Their naked bodies oozed with a black oily substance. Each night they laughed and screamed his name. They urged him to join them in their hell. That was where he belonged, they said.

Jade brought his knees up to his chin and tightly wrapped his arms around his legs. It had been difficult getting a good night's rest without these terrifying dreams to wake him. He attributed the nightmares to the mysterious Geostigma plague that once swept through the land years ago. A few of the children in their own orphanage had died from it. It was a dreadful, incurable disease. Jade remembered his days of treating the Infected and recalled the metallic-like smells of fresh blood as well as the raspy sounds of breathing from those on their death beds. Jade could never forget the time when one infected ten-year-old boy, who went by the name Gloom, wandered up Mt Nibel. Despite Jade's own efforts to stop him, Gloom happily plunged off the edge of the mountain _to make his way to the Promised Land_. The silver-haired boy couldn't bring himself to tell the Headmistress the ugly truth of Gloom's demise. Instead, he simply told her Gloom had run away and vowed to never return.

It wasn't clear what caused the plague or its abrupt disappearance. To this day, the scientists continued their debates while Gaia worshippers insisted it was workings of the Goddess herself. The skeptics and believers were in constant war with each other. Even so, Geostigma no longer made headlines. Granted, there remained a few cases of the Infected today. And there were even frightening rumors that those still alive with the disease had mutated into something much worse. Still, those were only rumors and, for the most part, Geostigma was history. It didn't matter how it happened or why. As far as anyone was concerned, the world was simply grateful it was finally over and life could finally begin anew.

That Jade survived from Geostigma's havoc meant he was destined to live and move forward. He had to live for those unfortunate people who were not here today, including Gloom. But then, why did he continue to dream about the Infected? Why were his thoughts clouded by angry words and the terrifying faces of millions who demanded he rise and bring them to this… _Promised Land?_ Jade inwardly sighed to himself. Perhaps his mind was so traumatized by the misery he'd personally witnessed that he was unable to move from it. With no memories or a name to call his own, he was also forever tormented by nightmares and lingering questions. There was something about his name and face that brought unpleasant looks in his direction. Even the Headmistress, herself, was uncomfortable around him at times. Surely, someone harbored the answers he desperately sought.

The sound of thunder from above interrupted Jade's thoughts. The smell of rain reached his nose soon afterward and he noticed dark gray clouds form across the night skies. It was time to head back inside. Jade didn't want to get caught in the rain. A strong presence from behind, though, prompted Jade to momentarily freeze. Instantly, he looked back and found glowing blue eyes gaze down at him.

"Your name… is _Jade?_"

Mr. Strife. His lean and dark silhouette stood over him like a pillar. Jade was completely surprised to see him here at the water tower. Even more, Mr. Strife hadn't made a single sound on his way up the unstable structure. A bit amazed and baffled by this, it took the silver-haired teenager a moment to recollect the man's question. For whatever reason, Mr. Strife's question sounded more like a reaffirming statement. It didn't help that the power of his glowing blue eyes seemingly penetrated Jade's own essence. He felt terrified, but also greatly intrigued.

Slowing standing on his feet, Jade took a swallow and at last replied, "Yes, sir. Can I… assist you with something?"

For a long time, Mr. Strife said nothing. He merely stood and watched the young man with his bizarre pair of electric blue eyes. Up until now, Jade never understood why so many of the children were taken aback by his own green cat-like eyes. Now he knew. The boy felt like prey to this strange man.

Jade's eyes eventually strayed to the massive sword on Mr. Strife's back. He was still unable to get a good look of it from this angle. However, he did notice the thick and angular tip of the blade extended all the way down to Mr. Strife's ankles. It was _huge_. Mr. Strife definitely was no regular delivery man; he was a certified predator. Yet, even as Mr. Strife possessed unusual eyes and carried an enormous sword on his back, his gentle face eased a bit of Jade's tension. There was nothing malicious about this man. While every part of Jade demanded he retreat, it was more out of anxiety than outright fear.

"Never mind..." Mr. Strife spoke again after a while. Then he took a step back and turned around. The moon's pale light shined down on his left side and reflected off his bare shoulder. Jade was able to observe the impressive sword in all of its delicate details. Quietly, Mr. Strife added, "Sorry, I mistook you for someone else, kid."

Jade stood silent.

"Here." Without looking back at Jade, Mr. Strife pulled out a small orb from a pocket and tossed it backwards. "Heroes should be rewarded."

Jade instantly caught the orb with both hands. Looking down at the small sphere, it glowed with a mysterious green light. He wasn't sure what to make of this. However, as Jade continued to stare at it, an image of a glowing river stream emerged in his mind.

_Materia; forged from the Lifestream itself. How very _thoughtful_ of him…_

Jade looked up from the _materia_ in his hands. With Mr. Strife's back facing him now, he couldn't get a look of the man's face.

With a low and soft voice, Mr. Strife later said, "Embrace your dreams and your honor, Jade. Someone very precious told me that once."

"My dreams…?" Jade repeated slowly and cradled the materia closer to his chest. "My… _honor?_"

Mr. Strife paused. Then he nodded his head in silence before he leapt off the water tower in one single jump. Jade's mouth gaped open and instantly ran to the edge of the platform to see if Mr. Strife was all right. At this height, he would've broken a bone. However, as Jade peered down he saw Mr. Strife casually make his way to his parked motorcycle. The batch of apples was already loaded on his bike's compartment. Once the engine of his bike roared to life, the doors from the orphanage flung open and the Headmistress appeared. Judging by her rushed words, she had no idea where their guest had gone off to until now.

It was apparent Mr. Strife was set to leave and conduct the rest of his late-night deliveries. As the children filed out of the orphanage to say their goodbyes, Jade remained at the water tower. The sound of thunder boomed across the sky. He hoped Mr. Strife would make it to his next destination before it rained hard. Of course, Jade was also a bit disappointed that Mr. Strife had to leave so soon. He… wanted to talk to him some more. The teenager's face relaxed a bit, though, when their visitor briefly looked over his shoulder and glanced up at him. There was a hint of a smile on Mr. Strife's gentle face. Then the mysterious delivery man turned away and sped off into the night.

Carefully, Jade made his way down the ladder of the water tower. As unfortunate as Mr. Strife's departure was, he did recall the proposition made this evening. Mr. Strife had agreed to come back to their town at the end of each month for a delivery run. Jade was determined to look this man in the eye. His heart raced at the possibility of actually _talking_ to him. He wanted to hear Mr. Strife's voice again. Somehow, it brought forth a sensation of familiarity and excitement in his being. It awakened some force that had slumbered within Jade for many years.

Mr. Strife… Yes, the next time they met he'd find the courage to talk to him. That was a promise.


	5. Home Sweet Home

_**Author's Note:** Yay! A new update. :) I'm excited to get into Cloud for a moment. Exploring his world is half the fun of writing Jade. I'm a sucker for apocalyptic stories, having watched films like the Mad Max triology as a kid. Hell, I've been writing an original sci-fi/horror story for several years now because I love that stuff. OuO I'm glad I can do that here in a FF story. Of course, it's also cool to write older-Cloud, especially when he's moved past the whole 'emo' phase. I tried to retain his snarky personality here but also made him a bit more relaxed and optimistic. Having been forgiven his 'sins', I think he's ready to live. Unfortunately, not everyone is on the same page as him. :P_

_It's funny, after giving this story serious thought the past week I finally figured out the outcome. The answer became so obvious to me when the pieces came together. I'm really excited. This is something I could honestly see happen if there were a FF7 sequel that sought to tie up ALL loose ends, particularly for Sephiroth. Themes of sins and redemption are definitely gonna be prominent here, by the way. I'm satisfied by the ending I got in my head. However, there is going to be some serious heartbreaking in this story. Whose heart will get broken though? Jade's? Or Tifa's? OAO Will Jade find redemption once he discovers who he really is? Or will he be fated to repeat the sins of his past? Those answers will be unveiled in due time. ;)_

* * *

**CHAPTER 4: Home Sweet Home**

With no clouds, the morning sun and clear sky was definitely a welcomed sight. It meant the ground would dry soon. This was good news for the lonesome traveler who roamed across the desolate land on his motorcycle. His bright blue eyes concealed by a pair of dark shades, he currently trekked down a desert landscape of sand and massive rocks. The cool winds whipped across his face and caused the mechanical black monster between his legs to rock slightly. While he preferred concrete paths to conduct his deliveries, it was inevitable he'd have to cross natural terrains. Most of the roads remained under construction on account of Meteorfall. Rain often made the task a challenge though. Muddy and flooded routes were unpredictable and dangerous. With the land still in a heap of mess, he risked getting stuck on a collapsible path or a ditch. The last time he took his chances out in the open road, he nearly skidded off a cliff after the fragile soil he road on abruptly gave way.

Delivery runs was a risky affair. As far as he was concerned, Strife Delivery Service was the only business in town that did them. It wasn't just the treacherous land that posed a threat either. Since Meteorfall, all sorts of nasty creatures had emerged from their hidings and stalked the grounds in desperate search for food. The World Regenesis Organization constantly sent out armies of men to deal with them. A few people, including Vincent Valentine, made their living as monster bounty hunters. Only recently did some cities, including Edge, erect electrical-reinforced gates around the perimeter. Former President Rufus Shinra assisted in their constructions as well as assigned a few still-functional Shinra robots to roam the lands in search of creature infestations.

Glancing at his left, the lonely bike rider spotted one mechanical Patroller plow through the desert. The size of a tractor, it rolled forward on its belt-attached wheels and spun its faceless metal head in every direction. Briefly, the Patroller paused when it detected the motorcycle rider. Raising the Gatling guns attached to its sides, the giant robot scanned and evaluated the target's body signature through its embedded analytical computer system. It lowered its weapons when it eventually detected nominal body temperature readings. The Patroller continued on its mission. The biker gave off a low disgruntled sound and increased his speed. It always nerved him to be in the presence of a Patroller. He worried the high amount of mako in his body would someday be mistaken for a monster's; not that it wasn't too far away from the truth.

Out in these forsaken lands, it really was a survival of the fittest world. One wrong move or misassumption meant death. Gone were the days of ignorant bliss and innocence. Meteorfall had given rise to a generation consumed by cautiousness and insecurity. No surprise, then, that the delivery man never left for a run without his Fusion Sword. Consisting of six blades that could be assembled together to make one large and very intimidating weapon, it had kept him alive on more than one occasion. As an added precaution, of course, he brought along a few hand grenades and materia. He needed to prepare himself for _any_ serious shit that came his way.

Racing down a rocky path on his motorcycle, the lonesome traveler looked straight ahead and saw the faint silhouette of a city many miles away. Its skeletal skyscrapers stretched up to the heavens. Metal beams and glass windows shined against the sunlight. He was just an hour away from Edge now, his home. Thank god.

The life of a delivery man really was a lonely life. It consisted of many hours on the road. That was more than enough time to ponder over deep thoughts and persistent questions. The years he'd dedicated to his delivery service were starting to take a toll on his body and mind, however. He often arrived home too fatigued to socialize and enjoy good company. Likewise, he'd recently developed a short temper. It was easy for him to be irritated by the smallest of matters. After all, he wasn't in the mood to help wash the dishes or fix the plumbing after an eighteen-hour shift. Sure, he _could_ hire extra people to assist him on his delivery business and lighten his load. It had been suggested to him on countless of occasions. His friend, Reeve Tuesti, even sent him a list of workers who were willing to take a delivery run on his behalf. These days, everyone was looking for work. It sounded like a good idea and he had just enough Gil to employ one or two people under his wing. But… there was simply no way he could put other people's lives at stake. The thought of someone accidentally killed on the job… He wasn't sure if he could handle it; not after all he'd been through.

The rider's unsettlingly thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a ringtone. It came from his cellphone. Too impatient to get to Edge as quickly as possible, he didn't bother to pull over and answer it. Instead, with one hand he retrieved the phone from his back pocket. Flipping it open, he took the call.

"Cloud Strife, here," he answered.

"_Cloud? That really you, boy?_" said a male's voice on the other line. It was loud, very coarse, and slightly slurred with a deep accent.

Cloud smirked when he recognized the caller. Beneath his shades, he rolled his eyes and replied, "No, Cid, this is not _really_ Cloud. This is the voice of God telling you to lay off the cigs. You sound like shit."

"_Fuck you_," barked the pilot, half-jokingly and half-seriously. "_You ain't mah momma_."

Cloud inwardly wished he was exaggerating. Unfortunately, the pilot who'd assisted him on numerous events in the past had a terrible addiction to his nicotine. Twice Cid Highwind attempted to quit smoking on account of his newborn baby. Unfortunately, Cid was as bad at kicking his cigarette habit as he was with his potty mouth. It would take the support of the entire group _and_ an act of god to get the man to quit.

"What do you want?" Cloud demanded shortly.

"_Well-hello-to-you-too-Miss-Sunshine_," Cid spat back sarcastically. His tone changed to something livelier when he said afterward, "_I just heard some great news an' needed to give ya a call. Congratulations, ya lucky bastard!_"

"Great news…?" Cloud echoed; confused.

"_Oh, c'mon, now. Don't play dumb wit' me, Cloud. I couldn't make it to yo' birthday last week but I know 'bout the big announcement ya made_," Cid elaborated. "_Barrett told me alllll 'bout it. Hoo-boy! Who'd have thought Tifa would actually say 'yes' to your sorry scrawny-little-ass._"

"Oh… _That._" The blond-haired man finally realized what Cid was talking about. Silent now, Cloud kept his eyes on the rocky path ahead of him.

"_Not to pressure ya or anythin'_," continued the pilot on the other line, "_But ya do realize that I've gotten ya out of a lotta jams in the past. And I'm married so I know what advice to give ya, such as to remember to put the toilet seat down when you're done. Of the entire gang, I'd make a decent Best Man, don't ya think? I mean… Barrett has shit fo' brains and won't be able to say anythin' proper at the event. And Reeve is so full o' himself that he's likely to hog up your spotlight. And Valentine… well, we both know vamp-boy is 'bout as social as a rottin' corpse. So… yeah. I rest my case_." There was a pause on the other line. "_Eh, Cloud? You still there?_"

"Yeah, I'm still here," Cloud finally spoke again.

Another pause. "_Well?_"

"Well, what?"

Cid growled. "_Son-of-a-bitch, you know _what!_ Damn, Cloud, sometimes I swear you act like an asshole just to piss me off._"

"Screwing with your head is what I do best," Cloud said in a deadpanned manner.

"_So says the man who never had his head screwed on straight._"

"Are you trying to piss me off, Cid?"

"_Are ya gonna make me your Best Man or what?_"

Cloud snickered. "Not interested."

"_Asshole._"

"Fine, then let me think on it."

"_The hell? Ya don't think I'm Best Man quality? I'll have ya know…_"

Right as Cid started down his list of qualifications, Cloud promptly hung up.

Smiling mischievously to himself, the bike rider put the cellphone away. He thought of Cid's attempt at designating himself as Best Man to be fucking hilarious. Barrett presented _his own_ case not long ago while Reeve had suspiciously been kissing his ass since the announcement was made. Cloud didn't see what the big deal was. Maybe they all secretly wanted to know who he personally favored. If it was up to him, he'd make them _all_ Best Men. They damned well earned it. That aside, Cloud was struck with a sudden realization: his engagement…

After finally settling his personal issues and battles, Cloud felt it was only right to marry the woman who had been there for him from the start. Tifa Lockhart. Tall, brunette, and with easy eyes that shined with a vivid-rich auburn color, Tifa had known him since they were children. They came from the same town. Growing up, Cloud had a crush on her. Hell, he sought to become a SOLDIER partly to impress Tifa. She was beautiful and full of fire. Even in his shittiest days, she always had something positive to tell him. Never in a million years did Cloud imagine a woman like her would be his. Tifa had sacrificed so much of herself to aid him in his trials. Even when he'd continuously push her away, she was resilient and remained by his side. Tifa Lockhart… He was going to marry her.

Cloud successfully made Tifa happy by surprising her with a ring on his birthday. With their engagement only announced last week, they hadn't decided on an official date or location for the wedding yet. Everyone was thrilled when they learned the news. In fact, Barrett felt the union was a long time coming. At last, the hero slayed the dragon and got the princess. There was no Calamity to deal with and the events that had happened years ago removed whatever heavy burdens were on Cloud's heart. He'd been forgiven for his sins and was finally released from his self-loathe. An official relationship with his long-time partner was the next step he needed to move forward. Children would be next. With everything set on its proper place, Cloud was left with only one nagging question: why didn't _he_ feel any different?

He thought he'd be more excited about the engagement. Nervous, he'd rehearsed his lines a hundred times over with Marlene. The nine-year-old optimistic girl had been a good sport and provided backup support for him. While Cloud was thoroughly relieved by Tifa's answer, he was disappointed by his own reaction. In his head, he assumed life would miraculously change the moment Tifa said 'yes'. He deeply cared for Tifa, after all. He'd wanted her from the first day he set his eyes on her. And she surprisingly wanted him too. They complimented each other well. Denzel already saw them as a couple and treated them as his surrogate mom and pop. They'd all become a tight-knit family. Cloud was content. So… what the fuck was the problem?

Annoyed with himself, Cloud wondered if he had set his expectations too high. Perhaps because they'd been together for so long their new relationship status didn't feel any different from the old one? Of course, it was also in his pessimistic nature to be overly cautious and fearful. Something could go wrong between now and the day of the wedding. Tifa could have a change of heart. He could get killed in a delivery run. The world could be in danger again. Or… Cloud instantly growled and mentally kicked himself. Damn it. There he went again. As always, the glass was always half empty with him. Irritated, Cloud could imagine his long-departed friend, Zackary Fair, laughing at him from the other side. No doubt the charismatic soldier wanted him to man-the-fuck-up and think more positive. Cloud knew his insecurities were an issue and promised to work harder at this. That negative attitude of his had gotten him into trouble before. If he had questions or second thoughts about his engagement, it was on him to get rid of them. It was time move _forward_.

With a sigh, Cloud forced his attentions on the road again. He drew closer and closer to Edge's barrier. Several Patrollers were stationed at the main entry gate. Alerted to his presence, Cloud saw them raise their weapons. He slowed down. That unsettling feeling developed in his stomach when he noticed they did not lower their weapons. Cloud briefly glanced at a high tower nearby. A few WRO guards stood watch. They currently observed the desert land with their binoculars, apparently invested elsewhere. Cloud inwardly hoped they were paying attention to the giant robots now fixed on him. Surely, these guys had an emergency off-switch in case the Patrollers shot at him. Right…?

Cloud's thoughts instantly halted when the two giant mechanical bots up ahead opened fire. He ducked his head and steered his bike left to avoid getting hit.

"_Fuck!_"

The tires of Fenrir squealed loudly. Cloud nearly lost control against the still-muddy ground. Thankfully, the bullets missed him and he eventually regained his bike's balance. As he increased his speed and rode closer to Edge's main gate, Cloud pushed a lever in his motorcycle. Six large compartments popped open from both sides and revealed six distinct, sharp blades in each of them. Cloud was ready to deal with these robotic nuisances and give Rufus an earful once he was done with them. However, the irritated delivery man noticed something peculiar about the Patrollers' initial attack: their bullets had shot way past his shoulders. Did they miss? Or did that mean he was not their primary target to begin with? Cloud's suspicions were soon confirmed when he heard the sounds of high-pitched screams. They didn't sound human.

Cloud was abruptly alerted to a group of large, bulky creatures that trailed right behind him. Damn. Death Claws. They were the worse type of assholes to deal with. Able to dive underground, several of the eerie creatures retreated into the dirt and avoided the shower of bullets from the Patrollers. Possessing thick reptilian-like skin, a few were able to withstand the attacks and continue on their pursuit. Chasing after the lone rider, six sharp claw-like appendages jutted out from their backs. With beady red eyes and sharp teeth, they snarled at Cloud and hurriedly stalked after him in frightening speed. The WRO men on the tower, meanwhile, took aim with their rifles and opened fire.

The sounds of bullets and dying screams echoed everywhere. Only a few miles from the main gate, Cloud spat out a curse word. The WRO men on the tower were green, he could tell. Eager to take down the monsters, they went through their gun clips within seconds and sprayed at whatever that moved. One stray bullet grazed Cloud's cheek. Annoyed, he yelled at them. They needed to back the hell off. They weren't helping his situation but only making it worse. Caught in their crossfire, the incoming bullets made it difficult for him to evade the creatures and deal with them himself. Cloud swayed Fenrir to the right when one WRO man fired off a rocket from the tower. Three Death Claws were incinerated. The momentum of the blast lurched Fenrir forward, however. Cloud tightly held onto the handles with both hands and waited for the bike's backside to kiss ground again. It was at this moment a Death Claw abruptly popped out of the ground in front of Cloud. It leapt toward him. Instinctively, Cloud grabbed a blade closes to him from one of the opened compartments and swirled the bike around in one full circle. With sword in hand, he successfully slit off the legs of the Death Claw before it had the chance to touch him. Cloud winced in disgust when its murky green blood splattered across his face and chest area. Fucking _gross_.

Up ahead, a loud siren sounded off. The massive main gate started to slide open for him while its yellow emergency lights spun to life. Through the speakers above, Cloud overheard a WRO officer issue a warning to him. They intended to set off the land mines implanted across the field. Upon hearing that, Cloud returned his blade back home and pushed his foot on the petal and floored it. He'd be damned if he accidentally lost a leg today because some reckless rookie pushed the button too soon. Cloud swallowed hard as he raced toward the entry gate at record speed. He was only seconds away from it now, a simple straight shot from his current path. His golden brows arched slightly, though, when he heard the engines of a chopper nearby. Seconds later, a black helicopter that had been hidden behind the tall metal gate steadily rose from the ground and appeared in view.

Cloud narrowed his sky-blue eyes. He recognized the diamond-shaped red emblem painted on its side. He could already predict who was at the helm of cockpit. Apparently, the pilot recognized him too because the jerk flew the helicopter only a few meters above him. The heavy winds caused by the twirling rotors rocked the delivery man back-and-forth on his bike. Cloud glared at the grinning, red-headed pilot he caught on the chopper's window. He shot him the middle finger on his way to the entry gate.

Cloud wasted no more time on the pilot afterward and left him to deal with the gang of Death Claws on his trail. The man in the chopper certainly didn't disappoint. He fired an obscene amount of bullets on them. With piercing rounds, the bullets proved effective and ripped through their hard skin like paper. On the speakers, Cloud barely heard the new announcement by the WRO officer above the noise. Still, he knew they finally triggered the land mines. The ground violently shook on impact. Bombs exploded in all directions. Sand and fire alike flew high into the air. With ringing ears, Cloud doubted he'd be able to hear for a week. He felt the heat of fire on his back as Fenrir leapt up from a large rock. Airborne, the potent odor of metal and smoke prompted Cloud to wrinkle his nose. If not for his fast reflexes he'd have lost a limb by now. Cloud's bike finally landed on ground and narrowly escaped the chaos. He sped past the opened main gate.

On the other side now, Cloud spun Fenrir around and came to a halt. Removing his sunglasses, he took a moment to breathe and settle his rapid-paced heartbeat. That was one helluva entry. Around him, WRO men ran in all directions and were ready to sweep the grounds after the bombs settled to confirm that all targets had been annihilated. The black chopper, meanwhile, soared high into the skies and flew over the city. Cloud ran a hand through his spiky hair and rolled his suddenly stiff neck to the side.

"You all right?" one of the WRO officers asked and approached him from his left.

Cloud simply nodded.

"God, you are one lucky son-of-a-bitch. You were almost done for."

"Almost…" Cloud repeated quietly.

"You need to be more careful when you go out there. It's not safe."

Cloud looked away, a bit disappointed with himself. _Careless._ He'd been careless. Had he been paying more attention to his surroundings he'd have noticed the Death Claws on his track before the Patrollers detected them. It was unlike him to be this careless, this stupid. Either he was more tired from his long trip than he thought, or he'd gone softer as the days of fighting were drawing close to an end.

Observing the clouds of smoke that slowly trailed upward, the delivery man wasn't sure how to feel at this very moment. Once a biological tool for war, these days Cloud found it harder and harder to execute some of the complicated moves he'd once perfected. It wouldn't be long until the warrior in him finally gave up the sword and relinquished it to a new, younger and willing hero. There was no reason to fight anymore, after all. Cloud got his wish and was living a normal life. He'd been forgiven his sins. He was engaged to a beautiful woman. He shared a close-knit fatherly bond with boy named Denzel. And he had the support of his friends. He was not alone. Gone were the days of battle. Gone were the days of anguish and turmoil. Gone were the days of… _him_.

"You sure you're okay, sir?" the young WRO grunt pressed again. "We got medic on standby if you need assistance."

Cloud snapped out of his daze. When he realized the officer was still with him, he shook his head and put on his glasses again. He fired up Fenrir. Looking straight ahead, he replied neutrally, "I'm fine. It's time I head home."

Without another word, Cloud sped down a road that led directly into the downtown area of Edge. He headed to his final destination.

* * *

For a moment, Cloud thought he should give Tifa a call and tell her he was back from his latest delivery run. He was a bit eager to show her the batch of dumbapples he collected. When Cloud checked the time on his cellphone, however, he decided against it. It was afternoon; the lunchtime rush hour. No doubt, Seventh Heaven was packed to the brim with people on their lunch break. Tifa was likely overwhelmed at the bar area and too busy to take any calls. Since Marlene, Denzel, and the rest of the children attended school now, she had to rely on a new staff of people to help her run the establishment. Based on the text messages she last left him, she was one step away from flying her fist into someone's face. Cloud knew it was a terrible idea to hire Yuffie. Granted, it was only a temporary part-time job for the Wutai girl. She was already committed to WRO's operations. When Yuffie learned about Tifa's predicament, though, she wanted to help. Unfortunately, the former Wutai princess had a tendency to make trouble wherever the hell she went.

Smiling to himself, Cloud slowly rode down an alleyway until he reached the back entry of a familiar two-storied concrete building. For the most part, Seventh Heaven's location was right smack in the middle of all the action. Construction was still underway in the neighborhood, however, and a few apartments were currently being assembled. Cloud could overhear the mechanical sounds of nearby cranes whirl and shift while they moved metal beams and panels to their assigned places. Outside the garage area of Seventh Heaven, he got off Fenrir and shut the engine off. Ignoring a few of the untidy people that slumped throughout the dark alleyway, he opened the shutters with a button from his set of keys. It took a few seconds for the shutters to ascend to the top. As Cloud waited, he overheard a few of the drunks and prostitutes call out to him. He didn't bother with them. Nonetheless, when Cloud heard a woman chuckle nonstop he did glance behind him curiously.

A thin and petite-shaped female was hidden in shadow. The woman stood against a bricked wall, bent over. She vomited several times. Each time she did, she laughed hysterically. Something about her caused the tiny hairs at the back of Cloud's neck to rise. Concerned, the delivery man took a few steps forward to get a good look at this bizarre female. He frowned. The woman was shit-faced. Her glassy black eyes practically budged out from their sockets while her mouth drooled nonstop. It reminded Cloud of a wild animal struck with disease. He could see thick, dark veins appear throughout her bare arms and forehead. Wearing a dirty knee-length and ragged dress, Cloud made a face while he witnessed a trickle of blackish piss run down her legs. It brought his attention to the splatter of blood on the ground.

"Fucking _hell_…" Cloud whispered under his breath.

A dead animal the size of a cat lay there; its furred skin completely ripped off. Alarmed, Cloud took another step toward the woman. He stopped when she suddenly kneeled down. Cackling, the ill woman grabbed the fleshy remains of the animal and gnawed on its exposed muscles with her black teeth. The woman finally looked up at Cloud.

"Would you like some, handsome?" she politely asked and presented the dead animal to him with her grimed, gory fingers. "This beautiful creature is a part of me. Its essence flows in my veins. We are connected now, both of us intimately intertwined with this planet. Would you like to be a part of us too? Would you like to be a part of… _him?_"

Unblinking, she grinned. Her mouth was wet with blood. Cloud said nothing. The woman softly sighed and lay across the soiled ground with the remains of the animal next to her. Lifting up her dirty skirt, she inserted bloodstained fingers into her clit and began to laugh again.

Completely disgusted by this, Cloud immediately turned away. Thankfully, the shutters had finally reached the top. He wasted no more time and grabbed hold of the bike's handles and led Fenrir inside the garage. Cloud closed the shutters and secured it with a lock afterward. He didn't want that psychotic, fucked-up woman to break into their establishment. For now on, he had to make sure Denzel and Marlene never went anywhere alone.

Eventually, he put the unsettlingly event behind him. Cloud overheard the cluttered sounds of feet, non-stop chatter, and dishware beyond the thick walls of the garage. The muffled melodies of some jazzy, upbeat song played from a jukebox in the next area. Yeah, it was a busy hour for Seventh Heaven. Cloud decided not to bother Tifa and, instead, get himself situated.

He placed his bike's keys on the wall. Dimly lit by the afternoon sun, the garage housed many of Cloud's tools, weapons, and Fenrir. The majority of the space, though, was dedicated to a series of large barrels of liquor. They contained a prominent recipe Seventh Heaven was renowned for, something Barrett had learned from his trips in Corel and was eventually perfected by Tifa. There were at least fifty barrels of the alcohol lined against the walls, more than Cloud remembered. Staring at them with a satisfied look on his face, this meant good news. More barrels indicated they had to keep up with a high demand.

Cloud hated to admit it, but Barrett was right: the world needed a place to unwind and leave ones troubles behind. Seventh Heaven had become that place. With its popularity now growing and spreading across the land, Cloud suspected either they had to rent a storage space for the barrels or move into a bigger building. There was no way they could hold more than a hundred barrels here, not with the other rooms being occupied by Seventh Heaven's residents.

Raising his arms over his shoulders, Cloud stretched his entire body and yawned. Damn. He was tired and a real mess. His body ached _everywhere_. He attributed it to the long trip and recent battle with the Death Claws. With a soft groan, Cloud removed a few of his garbs to lighten his load, including his left shoulder pad. The heavy items flopped clumsily on the ground. Reeking of sweat, he was in desperate need for a shower, especially when he was still covered in some monster's shit. Cloud collected all of his discarded items from the ground and headed for a door directly across him. Hopefully, Tifa would not spot him. He didn't want her to see the blood on his clothes. It would only worry her and prompt yet another annoying discussion on hiring other people for his delivery runs.

The moment Cloud opened the door, the noise of the bar overwhelmed his ears. The place was alive with an assortment of people, from young to old. His stomach twisted upside-down at the sight of constant movement. People danced to the merry sounds that came from the jukebox. Others weaved back and forth through the thick crowd in search for their party. Everywhere… _movement_. A bit nauseated, Cloud quickly pushed his way through the bar's patrons. He needed to head up a flight of stairs just around the corner. It led to the private quarters. Cloud was halfway to his destination when someone grabbed him by the arm from behind. His first natural instinct was to sucker-punch the asshole who dared to touch him. However, as Cloud turned and saw a small and thin woman with black cropped hair and big eyes, he softly groaned in dismay.

"Eeeew!" Yuffie Kisaragi exclaimed above the music. She held a tray of empty glasses with one hand. Quickly, the young woman retracted her other hand from Cloud's arm and looked at him up and down. Yuffie made a face. "Look at you! You're all covered in boogers! So gross! What happened?"

"Some annoying brat wouldn't leave me alone so I dealt with them the hard way," Cloud jabbed back and continued on his way to the staircase.

Unsure whether to take him seriously or not, Yuffie blinked. Then she called after him. "Hey, wait, I thought you were coming back tomorrow!"

"Completed my errands faster than I anticipated," Cloud explained and didn't look back. He sidestepped out of the way and avoided a drunken man ready to hurl.

Yuffie grinned and stalked him. "Hold on, let me tell Tifa you're home then. She'll be thrilled. She needs your help at the bar right now anyway."

"Too tired; not interested."

"Hey, don't be like that, Mr. Grouch," Yuffie whined. "We need your help. We got a packed house, amigo. Even with the rest of the staff working, everyone's hands are full."

"You're on payroll, Yuffie, I'm not. Go bother someone else. I just want to take a bath and get some sleep."

Already, Cloud regretted not spending the night in Nibelheim. He opted to take care of all of his deliveries in one-go and start back home without any rest. Having gone without sleep for at least three days straight, Cloud was dead-tired but wanted to surprise Tifa with a prompt return anyway. He was also eager to show her the special apples Zack once introduced to him a lifetime ago. Had he known he'd be asked to tend to the bar, though, he'd have stayed at the orphanage. At least, then, he would've gotten rest. He also would've had the chance to know more about that strange silver-haired boy with familiar green eyes.

_Jade._ His name was Jade…

"_Cloooooud_," Yuffie wailed shortly, "Give us a hand. Pretty please? We need you!"

Cloud didn't bother with an answer. He finally reached the corner and ascended the flight of stairs to the second floor. Thankfully, the bar's patrons knew better to leave this area alone. While the music below continued to blare loudly, there was a bit of peace and quiet on the second floor of Seventh Heaven. Even so, Cloud wasn't in the merriest of moods to enjoy the new environment. Tight-lipped, he was a bit furious. All he wanted was to relax and recharge his batteries. Of course, he knew this would not happen. Even if Yuffie and Tifa left him alone, his guilty conscience would eventually get the best of him. It always did. It was impossible for him to simply say _no_ and ignore someone in distress. It was practically against his nature. No wonder Barrett always made fun of him and accused him of being a pushover.

With a sigh of defeat, Cloud entered his bedroom. He kicked off his heavy-duty boots at the entrance and padded barefooted across the room to reach his closet. Collecting a pair of faded denim jeans, a white cotton short-sleeved shirt, and fresh underwear from it, he decided to take his shower first before reluctantly returning to the bar. Thankfully, the bathroom was just around the corner. Cloud made sure to shut the door in case some drunken asshole wandered upstairs. He set his clean items on the faucet's counter and stripped off the layers of clothing that concealed his lean and slim frame. Cloud was more than happy to dump his worn items in the laundry basket since they reeked of the Death Claw he'd killed.

Completely naked now, he took a long and very relaxing piss. Afterward, he washed his hands in the sink. Cloud's eyes eventually gazed up at his reflection on the mirror. At first, he investigated the small wound from the stray bullet that previously grazed his cheek. It had already healed. Cloud's jaw tightened a bit. He ran a hand across his face to inspect any other anomalies. As usual, there were none. Cloud softly exhaled when he leaned forward and studied his reflection for a while. His mako blue eyes glowed.

He just turned twenty-six last week, which meant he only had four more years before he turned to the big thirty. Hard to believe how time moved so fast. Only yesterday, he was a cadet with hopeful, ignorant dreams. Today, he was an older man finally settling down. Mentally, he changed so much. But physically? Well, that was a different story. In many ways, the youthful face that remained unchanged throughout the years disturbed Cloud. By now, he should've developed a wrinkle or two, at least around his brow lines since he tended to frown a lot more than smile. But his skin remained smooth and without blemishes. There was not a hint of age or wear on it. In his younger days, Cloud recalled how annoyingly easy it was for him to sunburn. His fair complexion made life under the sun a constant pain in the ass. But now? He couldn't remember the last time he had to treat his skin for sunburns. It immediately healed and was restored back to its original state in seconds.

There was an uncomfortable question that often lingered in Cloud's mind. It would eventually need an answer. Cloud wasn't sure if he was ready for it. In fact, he tried to ignore the tension that built in his stomach with each birthday that came and went. He assumed it was mere paranoia on his part, a figment of his wild imagination. Cloud nonetheless wondered about this unspoken question from time to time. It was an inevitable question that reared its ugly head whenever he saw another gray strand of hair develop on Cid's blond hair or noticed the delicate wrinkles form at the corners of Tifa's lips whenever she sweetly smiled at him.

Would he… age and die naturally? Would the planet's life essence, which currently coursed thickly in his veins, even _allow_ him to?

Cloud observed the deep glow of his sky-blue eyes. He quickly looked away from his reflection, a bit disgusted and frightened by his own youthful image. He didn't want to think of himself as an abomination. He didn't want to think of the possibility of outliving Tifa and his family. Yet, he was among the limited batch of test subjects exposed to high levels of mako. The majority of mako-related research had disappeared along with the key scientists who'd perished during and after Meteorfall. Their secrets and knowledge died with them. Thus, the long-term effects of mako on the human body remained a mystery.

Life tended to work in positives and negatives. Cause and effect. Action and reaction. Cloud had his own suspicions. His worries were confirmed several years ago with _that man_. That man… _He_ hadn't changed at all. _He_ looked exactly the same as the day Cloud saw him during his cadet years in Shinra's army. The powerful mako energy that traveled throughout the man's body had given him the dark gift of eternal youth. Was Cloud destined to walk the same lonely path as him? Would he watch loved ones live and die before his eyes? No. Surely, life was not that cruel.

Trying to shut these uncomfortable thoughts away, Cloud headed into the shower. He slid the glass door shut. Then he switched on the knob and closed his eyes as jets of hot water soaked his exhausted body. Cloud hummed pleasantly to himself. He pressed the palms of his hands against the tiled wall in front of him. The water sprayed his back soothingly. Already, Cloud felt better and wanted to dose off right here and now. The desire for sleep was heavy and it wouldn't be the first time someone found him knocked out in the bathroom. These days, it was the only place for rest. When the door to the bathroom creaked opened, however, Cloud briefly lifted his head and turned to the direction of the entry. The glass of the shower had already fogged, but he saw a blurred figure outside. His tensed shoulders relaxed when the familiar presence quietly closed the bathroom door and stood near the shower.

"Tifa…" Cloud softly said.

He didn't expect to see his fiancé so soon. It was a packed bar downstairs. He thought she'd see him when the crowd died down a bit. On the other side of the shower's glass door, he saw her blurred image take a step forward. Tifa was silent for a few seconds. Cloud didn't know if she was upset that he hadn't come downstairs to see her immediately or help out. His concerns faded away when she at last spoke. There was a beautiful pitch in his fiancé's voice.

"Cloud. So Yuffie wasn't lying to me. You really_ are _here."

"I wanted to surprise you," he told her and gazed down at his soaked feet.

Cloud's cheeks grew warm and he quietly scoffed to himself. It was strange. They'd known each other for many years. They slept on the same bed. They figured out most of their likes and dislikes. Most importantly, they shared a mutual and strong connection. It was a good and very stable relationship. Nevertheless, this woman managed to make him feel like a nervous little boy every time she was near him. Perhaps it was because Tifa knew him _too_ well. Nothing was amiss with her. She could see into his eyes and hear the tone in his voice to determine his current mindset. Cloud still had trouble openly expressing his thoughts to people so it was nice to have Tifa around to figure out his silence. On the other hand, her close observations were also a bit unnerving. Cloud wished Tifa would give him some space and try not to _figure him out_ so damn much.

"I'm _definitely_ surprised," Tifa replied from the other side of the glass. "It's great to see you back so soon. I… really missed you."

"I missed you too." Cloud glanced back at her silhouette.

There was a small smile on his face. It was rare of Tifa to openly admit her emotions, even to him. Like Cloud, she shielded her inner feelings from the world. Tifa was a proud woman, after all. While she openly expressed her beliefs and sentiments to the people she cared about, a good part of her was actually reserved. It was probably why they got along so brilliantly; they both had a lot of ghosts in their closets.

Out of courtesy, Cloud later informed, "I, uh, just needed to take a shower before I headed back downstairs."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Yuffie told me you needed help at the bar."

At this, Tifa laughed. "It's okay if you don't want to, Cloud. You must be tired. Go rest. I'm a big girl and can hold my own. Or haven't you noticed?"

Cloud chuckled. "Yeah."

"Did you make a good profit on your trip, by the way?"

"Sorta."

"Sort of?"

Cloud shrugged his shoulders. He tried to keep the excitement in his voice low when he explained, "I opted for a trade instead."

"Trade?" There was a pause. "What kind of trade?"

"Apples."

He noticed Tifa take a few steps away from the glass door and disappear from his line of sight. Later, he heard, "That sounds interesting. But I thought we already had a vendor who provided us with apples and other fruits."

"Not like these apples, Tifa," Cloud cut in a bit eagerly. "These apples are special."

"How so?"

"They're Banora apples. Well. Sorta. The trees originated from Banora and now they're in…" Cloud frowned and abruptly stopped himself. He didn't want to mention the location of the trees' new home. It was a sensitive issue for them, which was why he wanted to keep the specifics of last night's delivery run to himself.

"Banora apples, huh?" Tifa's voice trailed from the other side. "I think I heard of them."

"They got a distinct taste and used to be renowned back in the day. My former Commander was into them and even developed a prize-winning beverage."

"Oh yeah! The Banora White apple juice, right? Now I remember."

"I got a whole batch of the apples in Fenrir. I can't wait to show you 'em." Cloud turned around in the shower and continued rinsing himself. He pushed back his hair from his face and added, "I dunno, Tifa, but maybe we can figure out a way to recreate the Commander's recipe. It'll be good for the kids. Don't you think?"

Tifa went silent.

"Tifa?"

There was still no answer. Cloud paused. At first, he wondered if he'd made a mistake with the trade. Whenever Tifa disagreed with him she typically kept her opinion to herself. As vocal as she was about the essential issues, she tried not to offend him with the little matters. Slightly annoyed, Cloud pursed his lips. Again, he felt like an unknowing, clueless boy with her. Before he could mutter a word, the glass door slid aside. Cloud's eyes widened.

Standing outside the shower was a very naked Tifa. The beautiful brunette woman with impressively-sized breasts flashed him a darling smile. Without missing a beat, she told him, "I think it's a good plan, Mr. Cloud Strife. I can't wait to try out those _apples_ myself."

Initially, Cloud wanted to ask if she had time for this. The bar was overrun with customers downstairs and Yuffie looked ready to blow. The sight of Tifa's beautiful body, though, prompted him to keep his mouth shut. There was no way he was going to say no to sex. As tired as he was, he'd been in the mood for it for a long time now.

When Tifa stepped into the shower with him and wrapped her slender arms around his neck, a smug smiled developed on Cloud's lips. He bent his head down to capture her lips with his. Their kiss strengthened once he placed a hand on the dip of her back and pulled her closer to him. The other hand slowly explored the curved shapes of Tifa's body. Cloud took his time. His fingers barely grazed across the surface of her skin. She felt smooth and warm under his touch. When she shivered from his careful caresses, tiny bumps formed beneath his fingertips. Feeling a bit ambitious, Cloud's hand moved to fondle a large breast. He trapped an erect rose-colored nipple between two fingers and rubbed it with a thumb. Tifa sighed and arched her back slightly to provide him easier access. Meanwhile, one of her own hands strayed below. She caressed the two sacs she found there.

"Are we still talking about the Banora apples, Tifa?" Cloud playfully asked in between their lustful tryst.

"Not too bright, I see…" she murmured with eyes closed. Then she sank below.

For a while, Cloud simply stood with his back pressed against the tiled wall. The hot jets of water continued to splash over them. His fingers gently intertwined with Tifa's hair as her head lazily bobbed back and forth. Cloud's arousal was submerged in constant warmth and wetness. It stretched and thickened with blood the more pressure Tifa applied with her intoxicating mouth. She used both her hands to cover whatever she could not swallow. Cloud pulled back a few wet strands of hair from her face and gazed down at her. She looked absolutely beautiful; an angel on her knees with the mouth of a devilish harlot. With heat in his eyes, Cloud watched Tifa take his length in and out of her throat. He enjoyed the repetition of the action. It took all of his control to restrain himself, to keep himself from shoving all of his aching arousal inside her hot mouth. Cloud exhaled out a long breath when Tifa eventually withdrew. Her lips traveled further southward. They moved toward the two sacs attached to his erection. She sucked on each of them. The loud wet sounds below stirred Cloud. He softly hissed and clutched the back of her head tighter.

In all honesty, Cloud couldn't remember the last time they had sex. They were often too busy with work and the kids to pay attention to their own bodily demands. For the most part, they'd settled for a few handjobs here and there to keep the beast at bay. At some point, Tifa attempted to spice things up with naughty text messages and pictures of her glorious breasts during his long road trips. Cloud actually enjoyed that. He still had the crude images saved in his _secret folder_ and jacked off to them. Unfortunately, he lacked the spontaneous, playful nature required to keep Tifa's momentum going. Sending pictures of his cock or telling her how he planned to violently ravish her body? Yeah, he tried it once. Tifa laughed at him.

It wasn't just an inconvenience in time, situation, and location that prevented the two from being together. Cloud was actually more lustful than he originally led Tifa to believe. Whether it was the mako in his system or being sexually deprived for a long time, he constantly wanted more of it. There were many days when he wished to simply lay in bed and fuck her for hours. Unfortunately, he was too nervous to be forthright about his desires. Cloud didn't want to upset Tifa by confessing the types of action he _really_ wished to commit to her beautiful body. She'd view him as a pervert and never look at him the same way again.

Tifa didn't help the situation either. For the attractive brunette woman, sex was an innocent game. She enjoyed the build-up; the sensual moments that led up to it. Snuggling and foreplay… these she liked very much. But when it came to the act itself? Tifa typically put on the brakes. While Cloud certainly didn't want to pressure her into having sex, he'd been tempted many times to yell at her. It was downright infuriating and almost cruel to leave him so high and dry. Tifa insisted it was because there were children around or she was too tired, though. She made it impossible for Cloud to be upset. Thus, he endured his sexual frustrations and let it go. Besides, Cloud already suspected what the real issue was. He blamed himself for it.

In so many ways, the two of them were perfect for each other. They were damaged goods; fragile and vulnerable. Both of them had successfully put on false facades and buried their fears and dreams deep inside. Nonetheless, Tifa and Cloud were too stubborn to stay broken for long. Cloud hoped their engagement would change things between them. He wanted to be more vocally honest and trust her with his desires. Likewise, he wished for Tifa to open up and stop playing games with him. They needed to be serious if they were going to make this relationship work. From what he witnessed so far, their new relationship status was working. Tifa resumed pleasing him orally and hadn't pulled away from him like she'd done in the past.

Once she felt he was good and ready, Tifa finally rose and met Cloud's bright blue eyes. She smiled and softly said, "I want you inside me, Cloud."

For a moment, he remained quiet. His hands reached up to caress the sides of her flushed and warm cheeks. The tiny drops of water glided down her virtuous face. Tifa's reddish brown eyes burned into his blue set. Again, her beauty touched Cloud. Twenty-five-years-old and this woman still had the power of a Goddess. He leaned forward and planted a tender kiss on her moist forehead. Holding Tifa close to him, he waited for a moment. Everything was perfect. Cloud now wanted to hear three simple words come out of her mouth; three words that evaded him for many years. He knew it was at the tip of her tongue. It always had been there.

"Cloud…" Tifa urged again and pressed her lips against his. She placed both of her hands on his shoulders. "I love you…"

Her skin hot against his, Cloud smiled. It was enough she was here with him. To hear Tifa finally speak those words to him at last… it meant the universe to him. Possessively, he claimed her lips again. His fingers trailed the length of her body until they stopped right below her belly point. Cloud's palm rubbed her stomach in small circles. It drifted further south until he barely touched the edge of her pubic mound. He shifted his hand a bit so that two fingers easily slid and followed the moist lip of her vulva. Tifa pleasantly moaned and held onto his shoulders tighter. Again, he settled for unhurried motions. It had been a long time since Cloud touched her. He wanted to savor each second of it.

Both of his fingers became coated by Tifa's seeping juices while he carefully sought the tiny nub that inspired delicious sensations for her. The minuscule muscle was soft and very wet. Cloud was gentle as he slowly rubbed it up and down with his two fingers. He investigated the gland's shape with his fingers and realized, as small as it was, it shared a similar erect state of penis. It was rather amusing. And… erotic. His own arousal twitched. Without warning, Cloud slipped both fingers inside. Tifa gasped and threw back her head. Her inner thighs quivered and Cloud felt the muscles inside her contract around his digits.

"_Yeah… Oh, Cloud baby, yes…_" Tifa groaned and whispered to him. Her nails bit into his shoulders while she shut her eyes tightly.

Cloud ignored the stinging pain on his shoulders. He maintained a steady pace while he fingered the busty brunette woman. The walls of Tifa's warm and oozing vulva stretched little by little with each thrust. Eventually, he was able to slip a third digit inside. Tifa's large breasts jiggled as her hips rocked up and down on his fingers. Cloud bit his lip. He did not want to cum so soon. Yet, the sight of Tifa's breasts and the naughty sounds she emitted from her throat nearly sent him over the edge. He fingered her a few more times before he finally withdrew his entire hand. Breathing harder, Cloud turned Tifa around so that she faced the tiled wall. He spread her legs and bent her forward so that he took her from behind. Somehow, this position felt appropriate. While Tifa placed her hands on the wall, Cloud inserted something more impressive in size into her vaginal opening. Tifa cried.

"_Oh god, Cloud… Oh my god…!_" Tifa repeated again and again. She gritted her teeth and stuck her rear higher to give him an easier entry.

Exhaling, Cloud held onto her hips and pumped into the wet tightness that surrounded his shaft. A part of him regretted not strapping on a condom before entry. There was a pack of them somewhere in the cabinet nearby. It wasn't just a possibility of pregnancy that concerned him, but mako poisoning. Too much of him could potentially hurt Tifa. It was why they never had unprotected sex. In this moment, though, Cloud decided to take his chances and pull out when he was ready. He didn't want to withdraw and have Tifa change her mind.

Cloud gave off a low throaty sound. Closing his eyes and breathing out his mouth, he was completely overwhelmed by the heat that enraptured him. God, he nearly forgot how amazing it was to be inside another person. It'd been too damn long. He hadn't felt this aroused since…

_Look at me. And tell me your name, cadet._

His eyes still shut, Cloud gradually increased his speed. His abdominal muscles retracted and stretched with each plunge he executed. The walls around his length gradually tightened. There was a bit of resistance the deeper he went, but because he was fully lubricated by Tifa's essence he had no issues. It helped that Tifa spread her legs a bit more and held onto the wall for proper support. Meanwhile, the entire bathroom was filled with steam. The details of the naked body in front of him were slightly blurred in the haze.

Ahead of him, he heard Tifa's pants grow louder. As she met each of his thrusts, her buttocks smacked against him. "_Harder, Cloud… Harder._"

Cloud was more than happy to oblige. He rammed his member with enough force to provoke a delirious scream from Tifa. Stirred by the primal sound of it, his hand instinctively grabbed a chockfull of her damped hair and pulled on it. Cloud rode Tifa for a few more seconds until he finally opened his eyes again to observe the beauty in front of him. The fog of the room hid Tifa's body from him but Cloud froze in place when he stared at his clenched hand. Intertwined with his fingers weren't locks of auburn colored hair.

They were silver.

Instinctively, Cloud let go of the hair in his hand. In front of him, the naked body pulled away from him in dead silence. Cloud held his breath and kept still when the figure stood at full height. The fogged form was over six-feet tall. Gradually turning around, glowing jade-colored eyes stared down at him through the fog.

"_Cloud…_"

* * *

"_Cloud?_"

Cloud gasped loudly while the upper part of his body jutted upward. Blinking water from his eyes, it took him a moment to recognize where he was. He was lying naked in the bathtub with the shower still on. The hot water had turned warm by the time he woke up. For a moment, he thought someone called his name. Cloud's heart pounded against his chest. He forced himself to take several slow and steady breathes. Tight-lipped, he realized he'd drifted to sleep in the shower. Briefly, he remained seated on the tub and pulled his knees up to his chin. Cloud numbly watched the waters that sprayed over him collect at the drain. He remained like that for a while. His rich-blue eyes didn't blink. Only once did Cloud glance at his hand to make sure there were no strands of silver hair there. He briefly closed his eyes afterward.

God, the memories of _that man_… To this day, _his image_ was engraved in his mind. Cloud had accepted the fact he'd never get over him. It was impossible. As long as he shared _his_ cells and served as the tool to his demise twice, they were bonded together. Forever. Even so, Cloud was determined to move forward. His past had already been tainted by the likes of _him_. Anger. Sorrow. Regret. Guilt. These emotions had consumed most of Cloud's youth until he regained control of his life. He refused to be _his_ puppet ever again.

When Cloud detected movement beyond the fogged glass door next to him, his eyes snapped open. Alert, he swallowed hard and stood on his feet. He roughly slid the door aside and was ready to confront _his ghost_. Tifa Lockhart stood there instead.

"Cloud?" Fully clothed in a sleeveless leather shirt and black mini-skirt, his fiancé stared at him for a moment. Tifa donned a curious look on her face and took a slow step forward. "Were you asleep in the shower? I called you several times but you didn't answer me."

His throat suddenly dry, the blond-haired man couldn't reply to her immediately. His mind was still boggled by the surreal dream he just experienced. These days it was difficult to separate illusion from reality. It was partly why he avoided sleep as much as he could and occupied his overly creative mind with tedious activities. As Cloud fought off his grogginess, he studied the woman in front of him to determine if she was real. He recognized the dirty hand towel placed over Tifa's left shoulder. It was the same towel she used to wipe the tables downstairs. The tips of her fingers, meanwhile, were hardened by the constant use of dishwashing soap. No doubt, she'd been scrubbing away food particles all day. Her slick black hair was also tied back into a high ponytail; a few strands of hair loose. With weary eyes, the brunette woman looked exhausted and ready to clock out. Even so, Tifa patiently stood there and waited for Cloud to come around.

"Um, yeah, I guess I drifted off," he finally answered her and ran a hand through his overly wet hair.

"Must've been a _fun_ dream, hm?" Tifa slyly remarked with a certain glint in her eyes.

With a frown, Cloud wondered why she looked very amused at him. Then he noticed the direction of her eyes. They drifted downward. Cloud caught the sight of his erect member and automatically flinched back. He covered it with both hands.

"S-sorry…" he muttered.

Tifa softly laughed and hummed a pleasant melody to herself. She turned around to give him some much-needed privacy. Eventually, she asked, "You sure got here fast enough, Cloud. How'd your trip go?"

Cloud shut off the shower head and stepped out. He grabbed a towel from a rack nearby and wrapped it around his waist. "It went okay. I opted for a trade instead."

"Trade?"

"Banora apples," he responded with a satisfied look on his face.

Too tired to inquire about the apples, Tifa simply settled for a nod. Then she leaned against the faucet's counter and turned to watch Cloud dry his hair with another towel. "Where did you go, by the way? You never told me the place."

Cloud paused.

"Cloud?" Tifa pressed again.

"Just a place by the mountains," he dismissed quietly and continued drying his hair.

Tifa crossed her arms. One brow rose. "Oh, c'mon now, Cloud. We can do better than that. I thought we were past the secrets. We're engaged, remember? Till death do us part and all that fun stuff? Ring a bell?"

There was a long stillness in the air. Finally, Cloud murmured, "…Nibelheim."

Tifa's face visibly stiffened.

"There's an orphanage where the Inn used to be," he slowly explained and set the towel in his hand back on the rack to dry. "The people in charge asked me to do a delivery run for them."

Both of Tifa's arms slowly slid to her sides. She shook her head and quietly asserted, "Cloud… Why didn't you tell me you were going there?"

Cloud looked at her. "I didn't want to worry you."

Tifa sighed. Her voice rose a bit when she retorted, "Cloud, you should've told me anyway. You know what that _place_ means to us."

"I know…" Cloud pursed his lips.

Nibelheim. The place where it all started and ended. That was their hometown, before _he_ took it away from them. It was a place of broken dreams. For himself, Cloud didn't think he could ever visit Nibelheim again after his last trip with Tifa some years ago. They thought they could revisit their hometown and gain a sense of closure. But the visit only inspired unpleasant memories. It was no surprise Cloud downright rejected Mr. Coppers' request to drop a package of supplies there when they spoke for the first time over the phone. The old man was persistent, however, and met him in person to plead his case. Once Cloud learned about the orphaned children who lived in Nibelheim today, he found it difficult to decline the job.

Surprisingly enough, the trip to his hometown last night felt different. It was not what Cloud expected. Not only did the children sound hopeful, but the land itself had been reformed. Lively green trees grew in abundance and now actually blossomed with Banora-native leaves. The night sky was filled with an ethereal beauty that equaled the heavens he remembered from his innocent youth. A peaceful quietness had settled in Nibelheim. Of note, though, was the lonely boy with jade-colored eyes that lived there.

That boy… he possessed _his_ eyes. _His_ hair. _His_ face. The uncanny similarities could not be overlooked and inevitably left a bitter taste in Cloud's mouth. They reminded him of the three twisted teenagers he'd encountered several years ago. Kadaj. Yazoo. Loz. They were remnants of _him_. But Jade… he was different. He possessed something else. It completely baffled and intrigued Cloud. Jade emitted an innocent light. It was a warm light that reminded Cloud of…

"This is just like that time you went off to the Church without telling me," Tifa spoke again. Her voice was low and soft. "I would've gone with you if you asked me to."

Unable to form the proper words to her, Cloud lowered his gaze and remained quiet. Tifa understandably sounded upset. There was no way he could tell her about the arrangement he already made with Mrs. Coppers, at least not at this moment.

"You need to stop putting yourself in these kinds of situations, Cloud," resumed Tifa with concern in her eyes. "Your mind is… too fragile to handle things like this on your own."

Cloud's jaw tightened upon hearing those last words. He knew Tifa meant well. She was worried for him. She cared about him and, like any significant partner, wanted to fix all of his problems and spare him from the pain. All the same, he was not a child. It was difficult seeing Tifa as a lover when she treated him like one half the time. Sure, he did act childish from time to time and deserved a scolding or two. Tifa was also more right than she was wrong. Still. It would be nice to feel like a complete man in her presence, not some foolish boy who tripped all over his damn shoes. It would also be nice if she didn't underestimate him. He was not the mentally unstable man he was years ago.

Tifa stepped away from the faucet's counter and stood in front of him. "I gotta head back downstairs. It's a real mess. Yuffie keeps screwing up the orders and Barrett still hasn't come back from his trip. You think you're up for helping me out with the dishes, Cloud?"

Cloud was a bit grateful for the change of subject. He slowly nodded and met her eyes again. "Yeah. Just give me a moment to get dressed."

"Thanks."

A small smile tugged at a corner of Cloud's lips. Recalling the first segments of his wet dream, he closed the gap between them and held his fiancé by the waist with both hands.

"What are you doing?" Tifa asked with a lighthearted chuckle and looked at him.

Feeling a bit bold, Cloud softly asserted, "You know, Tifa, I gotta ask if there's an extra incentive to this. I'm not on your payroll, but it would be nice to get _some_ kinda compensation."

He leaned forward and kissed her. Despite looking disheveled, Tifa's lips were soft and inviting. Cloud felt a bit optimistic by his advances when Tifa opened her mouth and allowed his tongue to slip inside and dance with hers. She tasted of peppermint. Cloud breathed a bit harder. He drew one hand up to cup her cheek and pull her closer to him. It was then Tifa started to pull away. Her teeth tugged at his lower lip before she finally let go.

"C'mon, lover boy," Tifa said with loud playful snort. "We got work to do."

"Not even a quickie, huh?"

"As if that would satisfy you?"

"It might."

"Don't be silly. There's a business man coming later this afternoon with a proposition for us. Sounds pretty important so let's do our best and put those hands of yours to good use. And by _that_, I mean taking care of the three loads of dishes waiting for you downstairs. Yeah?"

"Sure, whatever…" Cloud replied very slowly. He had trouble meeting her eyes. With a bit of hesitance, he added, "…I love you, Tifa."

Tifa stared at him. She didn't move.

For Cloud, it was important for him to express those words to her, especially when they were finally engaged. It was partly to reassure Tifa of his love. However, it was also because he was fully aware of his fiancé's difficulty of emotionally _and_ physically connecting with him. She'd been like that since they were kids, back when her mother died. She flirted with most of the boys in their town, including him, but kept her distance from everyone. Tifa's fear of abandonment led her to live a life filled with avoidance, ignorance, and fake smiles.

In many ways, it was ironic. Of their entire group, Tifa was the one to cheer and offer everyone emotional support. She inspired greatness in everyone. It was why Cloud loved her. Her strength gave him the power to overcome his shadows. But for herself? She gave nothing. She existed only inside her bubble world.

Just when Cloud thought she hadn't heard him, Tifa finally replied. There was a gentle smile on her face. "I know you do, Cloud. I wouldn't be marrying you if you didn't."

Cloud stood quiet and waited for her to add anything else.

"Let's get to work, okay? We got lots to accomplish right now," Tifa asserted and gave Cloud a quick kiss on the mouth. Once she noticed he hadn't moved from his spot, she instantly asked, "Is something wrong?"

Admittedly, Cloud was a bit disappointed Tifa didn't repeat the three special words back to him. Then again, it was always like this. Cloud couldn't help but notice the subtle change in Tifa's behavior either. Ever since their engagement was announced last week, she had been… a bit distant with him. Cloud felt he deserved it. It was his punishment.

Tifa had not been the only one to peek into the other's subconscious when they fell into the Lifestream together a lifetime ago. Cloud had seen the terrible thoughts and nightmares that plagued her mind. Cloud regretted leaving Tifa behind. He knew he hurt her when he withdrew from her three years ago to deal with his own personal battles, including the Geostigma disease that ravaged his body. He used his delivery runs and time with the children as a way to avoid her. Granted, there was much Cloud had to deal with in order to redeem himself and be forgiven for his sins. Even so, he abandoned Tifa and reawakened the ghosts in her closet. Tifa never spoke a word about her bitterness toward him, though. Like him, she simply wanted to move forward and pretend the anger within herself didn't exist. But Cloud knew it was there.

Determined to remedy the issue, Cloud suggested, "Tifa, maybe we can do something together. I'm off for a few days. How's about we go out tonight, hm?"

"Sure, that sounds like fun." She nodded her head in approval. Tifa eventually added, "Denzel and Marlene will be thrilled. They've both missed you. They'll be excited to have a nice family get-together tonight."

Cloud refrained from frowning. As much as he missed Denzel and Marlene, he also wanted to spend some private time with Tifa and lessen the distance between them. "I was… kinda hoping it'd be just the two of us."

"Oh?" Tifa paused. It was her who looked away from the other this time. "Well, that'd be nice. It's just… we need to find someone to look after Marlene and Denzel. Yuffie has errands to pull for Reeve later today so we can't get her to watch them. And I gotta get this bar in shape before the business man comes by."

Cloud's blue eyes stayed on her. Still, he waited for his fiancé to continue. Tifa went quiet though.

It was really Tifa's silence that disturbed him the most. He knew she inwardly resented him, even if she didn't want to admit to it herself. She loved him, yes. There was no doubt about that. However, there were a few times when Cloud caught that unresolved, frustrated look in her eyes prior to his delivery departures. Tifa expected him to run away and leave her in the dark again. Now that they were engaged, the stakes were higher. Her eyes revealed all the unspoken fears and anguish she kept to herself. Cloud was determined to make amends and right his wrongs, however. He'd finally grown the fuck up and wanted her in his life. Of course, the ball was on Tifa's court. It was on her to forgive him and move forward with him. There was no relationship if she lived a lie and pretended to be happy when she really wasn't. Cloud wanted to believe in the best, though. After all, Tifa had accepted his proposal, right?

"I don't know, but maybe we can have date night some other time," Tifa finally asserted and avoided eye contact. She spoke not another word of it. Instead, she quickly said, "I'll see you downstairs. Okay, Cloud?"

Tifa offered a playful wink to him. Then she walked out the door.

Completely alone now, Cloud stood still. He bit his lower lip. Sometimes, he wished Tifa simply punched him and screamed out every obscenity that crossed her mind since they got together. He wanted closure for her. He also sought release from his guilt. Cloud loved Tifa, but he didn't want to imagine the rest of their life together in uncomfortable silence and fake smiles.

Bitterly, Cloud whispered to himself, "Home sweet home…"


End file.
